.. 

- 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

Rare  Book  Room 
GIFT  OF 

John  W*  Beckman 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


AUNT   BARBARA. 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS; 


OB, 


i»  tbt 


BY 

AUNT   FRIENDLY, 

ATTTHOK  OF  "KATE  DAKLY  ;   OR,  '  IT  WILL  ALL  COME  EIGHT.' 


NEW  YORK: 
ANSON     D.    F.    RANDOLPH, 

No.   683  BROADWAY. 

1859. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1359,  by 
ANSON   1).  F.  RANDOLPH, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  for 
the  Southern  District  of  Ne\v  York. 


EDWARD  O.  JENKINS, 

Printer  #  ^terrotgper, 
No,  26  FRANKFORT  STREET. 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


I. 

)  ATTY  LEE  had  been  on  a  visit  to  her 
grandmother,  and  now  she  was  com 
ing  home. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  hard  work  that  morn 
ing  to  keep   her  young    people    in 
order,  for  Hatty  was  a  favorite  with 
her  brothers  and  sister,  and  they  were  wild 
with    delight    at    the    idea  of    seeing   her 
again. 

Hatty  was  only  ten  years  of  age,  and  Mar 
cus,  her  brother,  thought  because  he  was  two 
years  older  he  was  almost  a  man,  and  quite 
able  to  give  Hatty  advice  on  all  subjects. 
He  pretended  a  great  contempt  for  girls,  but 
the  fact  was  he  had  missed  his  little  play 
mate  sorely,  and  was  full  of  glee  at  the 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


thought  of  her  return.  He  showed  his 
pleasure  in  a  noisy  way  that  made  the  house 
not  very  comfortable  for  any  one  else. 

Old  Aunt  Barbara  had  twice  put  her  head 
out  of  her  bed-room  door,  to  tell  him  he  was 
the  "roughest,  rudest  boy  in  the  world,  and 
would  drive  her  crazy  if  he  did  not  behave 
himself;"  but  Marcus  still  ran  up  stairs,  jump, 
ing  up  three  steps  at  a  time,  with  his  heavy 
shoes,  and  sliding  down  the  balusters,  hal 
looing  as  he  went,  as  if  he  were  riding  a  race 
in  an  open  meadow. 

Meggy,  a  mischievous  little  girl  of  six, 
ioined  her  shouts  with  those  of  Marcus, 
while  Harry,  her  next  brother,  was  busy 
collecting  all  his  new  playthings  in  the  hall, 
that  he  might  show  them  to  "sister  Hatty" 
as  soon  as  she  arrived. 

As  drums  and  trumpets  were  among  his 
favorite  toys,  they  of  course  had  to  be  brought 
out,  and  thoroughly  tried  to  prove  that  they 
were  in  perfect  order. 

While  all  this  tumult  was  going  on  in  the 
hall,  Mrs.  Lee  was  vainly  trying  to  hush  the 
continual  cries  of  her  little  baby,  who,  though 
only  five  weeks  old,  seemed  to  have  remark 
ably  strong  lungs  for  its  age,  and  to  promise 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS, 


to  resemble  the  rest  of  the  family  in  his  will 
ingness  to  use  them. 

Mrs.  Lee  was  not  very  strong,  and  she  was 
getting  quite  worn  out  with  the  screams  of 
the  baby,  when  old  Aunt  Barbara  came 
stepping  into  the  nursery,  and  declared  that 
she  was  certain  if  she  could  take  the  child  a 
moment,  she  could  quiet  it. 

Aunt  Barbara  put  the  baby  on  her  lap, 
and  began  to  say  to  it  some  of  the  queer  old 
rhymes  she  had  heard  in  her  childhood, 
seventy  years  ago.  It  is  not  likely  that  the 
baby  understood  aunt  Barbara's  funny  sto 
ries,  and  wanted  to  listen, — but  this  is  certain, 
it  stopped  crying,  and  soon  closed  its  eyes 
and  fell  into  a  sweet  sleep. 

When  there  was  silence  in  the  nursery, 
the  noise  in  the  hall  sounded  all  the  louder. 
Mrs.  Lee  stepped  to  the  door  quickly,  as  if 
she  were  going  to  speak  severely  to  the 
children,  but  something  within  her  whis 
pered  that  they  had  no  idea  of  the  pain 
their  frolic  was  giving,  and  that  it  was  joy 
about  their  sister's  return  that  made  them  so 
unusually  full  of  glee.  "When  Mrs.  Lee 
reached  the  head  of  the  stairs,  her  face  had 
a  sweet  motherly  expression,  and  before  she 
1* 


6  HATTY  AND   MAECUS. 


spoke,  she  could  not  help  smiling  to  see  little 
Harry  blowing  away  at  his  trumpet  with  all 
his  might,  and  marching  up  and  down  the 
hall  as  if  he  were  a  fat  little  soldier  on  pa 
rade,  while  they  jumped  up  and  down,  and 
screamed  with  delight,  to  see  how  fast  Mar 
cus  could  move  on  his*  smooth-backed  horse. 

Mrs.  Lee  knew  that  in  their  present  state 
of  mind  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to  keep 
the  children  perfectly  quiet,  and  she  resolved 
to  employ  them  about  something,  that  they 
might  not  waste  their  energy  in  making  a 
noise. 

Marcus  heard  somebody  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs,  and  he  looked  up  with  an  expression 
of  provoking  mischief,  as  if  ready  to  receive 
another  scolding  from  aunt  Barbara.  When 
he  saw  his  mother's  kind,  pale  face  bending 
towards  him,  he  felt  a  little  ashamed  of  the 
thoughtlessness  which  had  made  him  forget 
that  her  weak  head  might  have  suffered  from 
what  he  called  his  "fun." 

"  Well,  Mother,"  he  said  looking  up  cheer 
fully,  "  how  soon  do  you  think  Hatty  will 
come  ?" 

"  Not  for  an  hour  yet,  my  son,"  said  the 
mother,  kindly ;  "  and,  meanwhile,  I  have 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


something  for  you  to  do.  I  want  you  to 
sweep  the  pavement,  from  the  door-step  to 
the  gate,  that  it  may  look  neat  and  tidy  to 
Hatty  when  she  comes  home." 

"  Here,  Meg,  you  go  get  me  a  broom,  and 
I'll  set  to  work  in  a  twinkling,"  said  Marcus, 
jumping  down  from  the  balusters,  with  a 
deafening  stamp  of  his  heavy  shoes. 

The  sound  seemed  to  touch  every  nerve 
in  Mrs.  Lee's  head,  and  she  drew  her  eye 
brows  together  with  an  expression  of  pain ; 
but  she  only  said,  quietly — "  I  must  have  a 
pair  of  slippers  for  you  to  wear  in  the  house, 
Marcus,  and  then  you  can  take  off  your 
shoes,  when  you  come  in,  as  your  father 
does." 

"O  that  will  be  first-rate,"  said  Marcus, 
with  delight.  "  I  should  like  dog's-heads  for 
the  pattern ;  won't  you  begin  them  to-day, 
Mother  ?" 

"  I  will  make  them  as  soon  as  I  can,"  said 
the  mother,  with  a  languid  smile. 

Meg  now  came  running  along  the  hall, 
carrying  the  broom  by  the  brush  end,  While 
the  handle  went  "  knock,  knock,"  along  the 
floor,  keeping  time  to  the  skipping  motion 
with  which  she  generally  moved. 


8  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


Marcus  seized  the  broom,  and  began  to 
flourish  it  this  way  and  that  way,  across  the 
wide  pavement,  as  if  he  meant  to  be  rapid, 
if  not  particularly  thorough,  in  his  work. 

"  Now,  Harry,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  quietly, 
"mother  wants  you  to  make  a  nice  fence 
with  your  blocks  all  round  your  playthings. 
Meg  will  get  them  for  you.7' 

From  a  closet  under  the  stairs  Meg  soon 
dragged  out  a  box  in  which  were  Harry's 
stores  of  blocks, — playthings  of  which  he 
never  tired,  and  which  never  wore  out. 

The  little  fellow  set  to  work  very  patient 
ly  ;  and  then  Mrs.  Lee  said,  "  Come,  Meg,  I 
will  take  you  with  me."  Meg  gave  her 
hand  to  her  mother,  and  skipped  up  the 
stairs,  ready  to  take  in  good  part  anything 
that  should  happen. 

Mrs.  Lee  led  her  to  a  small  room  at  the 
end  of  the  hall,  and  said,  "  Now  listen  to  me, 
my  little  darling.  You  are  to  sleep  in  here 
with  Hatty,  and  she  is  to  help  you  dress,  and 
to  be  very  kind  to  you.  I  want  you  to  be 
very  careful  not  to  hurt  any  of  Hatty's 
things,  and  to  mind  her,  when  I  am  not 
with  you.  If  you  do  as  I  say,  you  will  be 
sure  to  get  on  well.'7 


HATTY  AND  MAKCUS.  9 


Meg  gave  a  little  jump,  and  perched  her 
self  on  the  edge  of  the  bed,  as  she  said,  "  0 
how  nice,  Mother !  I  am  so  glad.  It  is  a 
great  deal  pleasanter  than  being  in  the  old 
nursery  with  Jane." 

"  Don't  sit  on  the  bed,  Meggy,7'  said  Mrs. 
Lee,  helping  the  little  thing  gently  down— 
and  smoothing  the  tumbled  place  she  had 
made  on  the  clean  counterpane  ;  "  You  know 
Hatty  likes  to  keep  her  bed  very  nicely." 

"  Hatty  can't  lock  the  door  now — and  say, 
You  can't  come  in,  Meg.  It  is  my  room,  too, 
now,"  said  Meg,  "  and  I  shall  have  a  right 
to  come  in." 

"  I  hope  my  little  girls  will  get  on  very 
pleasantly  together,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  gently. 
Jesus'  little  children  never  quarrel,  never 
speak  bad,  angry  words." 

"  Well,  I  won't,  Mother,  if  I  can  help  it," 
said  Meg,  and  she  put  up  her  mouth  to  be 
kissed,  as  if  that  mother's,  kiss  could  ensure 
her  doing  right. 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  up 
stairs,  Marcus  had  stopped  in  the  midst  of 
his  work,  and  was  actually  still,  for  a  mo 
ment,  while  his  face  bore  the  marks  of  deep 
thought. 


10  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 

Marcus  did  not  feel  altogether  comfortable 
about  the  way  he  had  spoken  to  Aunt  Bar 
bara  that  morning ;  he  knew  he  had  done 
wrong,  and  that  brought  to  his  mind  a  letter 
his  mother  had  received  from  Hatty  during 
her  absence.  Hatty  had  written  that  she 
was  very  sorry  for  all  the  naughty  things 
she  had  ever  done,  and  that  she  had  made 
up  her  mind  to  be  one  of  Jesus7  little  chil 
dren,  and  that  she  believed  He  had  forgiven 
her  for  all  the  past,  and  would  help  her  to 
be  a  better  girl.  She  sent  much  love  to  her 
brothers  and  sisters,  and  said  she  wanted 
them  to  forget  every  unkind  word  she  had 
ever  spoken  to  them,  for  she  was  very  sorry, 
and  never  meant  to  do  so  again. 

Ever  since  Hatty  could  speak,  her  mother 
had  been  teaching  her  about  her  Heavenly 
Father,  and  trying  to  make  her  love  Him 
and  wish  to  serve  Him.  The  little  girl  had 
alwa}^s  listened  patiently,  but  Mrs.  Lee  had 
never  been  satisfied  that  Hatty  had  made  her 
choice  to  be  among  the  lambs  of  Jesus7 
flock,  who  love  to  hear  their  Shepherd's 
voice,  and  try  to  follow  Him.  This  letter, 
therefore,  written  in  the  frankness  and  sim 
plicity  of  childhood,  had  brought  joy  to  the 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  11 


mother's  heart.  She  believed  that  the  love 
of  Christ  had  taken  root  in  the  soul  of  her 
child,  and  that  by  God's  grace  it  would  grow 
and  strengthen,  and  in  time  bear  such  fruit 
as  angels  love  to  see. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  not  only  given  the  message 
Hatty  sent  to  her  brothers  and  sister,  but 
she  had  read  her  letter  to  them,  praying 
silently  that  by  Hatty's  example  they  might 
be  led  to  choose  God  for  their  guardian  and 
guide. 

Marcus  had  listened  intently,  and  had  been 
moved  more  than  he  cared  to  show.  When 
his  mother  laid  the  letter  down,  he  said  blunt 
ly,  "  I  have  nothing  laid  up  against  Hatty," 
and  abruptly  left  the  room. 

Now  as  he  stood  on  the  pavement  leaning 
upon  the  broom,  he  was  thinking  of  Hatty 
and  her  new  resolution,  and  wondering  if  he 
should  ever  make  up  his  mind  to  do  right. 
Of  one  thing  he  was  sure,  doing  wrong  gave 
him  no  pleasure.  He  had  been  too  well 
taught  to  be  able  to  commit  any  sin,  with 
out  being  reminded  of  it  by  his  conscience, 
but  to  obey  that  consicence  was  another  thing. 

Marcus  could  not  help  fancying  that  he 
should  see  some  great  change  in  Hatty,  that 


12  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


she  would  look  differently,  speak  differently, 
— and  he  made  up  his  mind  not  to  be  at  all 
pleased  with  her  if  she  affected  any  new. 
serious  ways.  This  was  but  a  momentary 
feeling,  for  Marcus  really  loved  his  sister, 
and  in  the  depths  of  his  heart  he  rejoiced 
that  she  had  chosen  the  best  portion,  the  only 
blessing  that  will  last  forever  and  ever. 


II. 

}  AECUS  spent  so  much  time  in  med 
itating  about  Hatty  and  her  new  res 
olution,  that  he  had  but  just  finished 
his  task,  when  the  carriage,  so  anx 
iously  desired,  drove  up  to  the  door, 
and  out  jumped  Mr.  Lee,  followed 
in  another  moment  by  Hatty. 

Marcus  threw  down  his  broom,  and  sprang 
forward,  and  before  he  thought  he  had  kissed 
Hatty  several  times.  Marcus  was  not  much 
in  favor  of  kissing, — he  thought  it  was  "  girl 
ish  ;"  but  now  he  was  so  really  glad,  he  did 
not  think  what  he  was  about. 

While  Mr.  Lee  was  attending  to  the  re 
moval  of  his  carpet-bag,  Hatty's  little  trunk, 
and  sundry  baskets  and  packages  with 
which  the  carriage  was  loaded,  Marcus  and 
Hatty  walked  up  the  wide  pavement  to 
gether. 

2  (13) 


14  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


"  You  are  a  good  sweeper,  Marcus,"  said 
Hatty,  looking  at  the  clean  bricks  upon 
which  they  were  stepping. 

Marcus  did  not  answer;  he  was  gazing 
straight  into  Hatty's  face  to  see  if  she  were 
really  altered.  He  could  see  no  change, 
save  that  a  few  freckles  about  her  nose  dis 
figured  her  uncommonly  fair  skin,  and  told 
of  the  life  in  the  open  air  she  had  lately  led. 
Her  red  hair  had  not  grown  a  shade  darker 
during  her  absence,  although  it  was  brushed 
a  little  smoother  than  usual.  Her  bright, 
reddish  brown  eyes  had  their  own  lively  ex 
pression,  and  her  mouth  seemed  as  ready  as 
ever  to  smile,  until  all  about  it  the  tiny  dim 
ples  came  like  little  pin-pricks  in  her  fair 
skin. 

Hatty's  face  was  not  changed,  certainly  ; 
and  instead  of  having  the  grave  manner  that 
Marcus  expected,  she  was  all  joy  at  her  re 
turn,  and  seemed  to  have  forgotten  that  she 
meant  to  be  any  better  than  any  one  else. 

Hatty  had  not  forgotten  her  new  resolu 
tions,  and  if  Marcus  could  have  seen  into 
her  heart  at  the  moment  she  stepped  from 
the  carriage,  he  would  have  read  a  prayer 
that  she  might  be  able  to  live  among  her 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  15 


dear  brothers  and  sister  like  one  of  the 
lambs  of  the  flock  of  Christ. 

Meg  and  Harry  had  heard  the  sound  of 
the  carriage  wheels,  and  were  on  the  door 
step  to  receive  Hatty.  They  first  almost 
smothered  her  with  kisses  ;  then  Meg  untied 
her  bonnet  strings  with  rough  kindness,  and 
Harry  seized  her  little  travelling  bag,  as  if  it 
were  his  especial  property. 

Hatty  was  a  particular  little  soul,  and  the 
way  Meg  took  hold  of  the  new  blue  satin 
ribbons  of  her  leghorn  flat,  hurt  her  as 
much  as  if  Meg  had  given  her  one  of  the 
twisting  little  pinches  she  knew  so  well  how 
to  inflict.  Hatty  was  going  to  twitch  away, 
but  instead  of  the  twitch  came  a  bright  blush 
on  her  cheek,  that  she  should  have  so  soon 
been  near  being  out  of  patience,  when  again 
among  the  little  ones  at  home.  As  a  kind 
of  punishment  to  herself,  she  let  Meg  lay 
aside  her  bonnet,  and  suffered  Harry  to  run 
off  with  her  pretty  travelling  bag,  without 
saying  a  word. 

"  Where's  Mother  ?"  asked  Hatty,  eagerly, 
passing  along  the  hall,  and  going  directly  up 
stairs. 

"Here,  here,  my  child,"  said  the  mother, 


16  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


as  she  met  her  on  the  landing,  and  folded 
her  affectionately  in  her  arms. 

Very  pleasant  it  was  to  Hatfcy  to  receive 
that  mother's  tender  kiss,  but  dearer  still 
were  the  words  which  were,  breathed  in  her 
ear:  "God  bless  you,  my  darling,  you  are 
dearer  to  me  than  ever." 

Hatty  understood  her  mother's  earnest 
words,  and  she  could  have  echoed  them, 
"you  are  dearer  to  me  than  ever."  That 
was  exactly  what  she  felt.  The  mother  who 
had  talked  to  her  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  and 
taught  her  His  words  and  ways,  was  dearer 
than  ever,  now  that  she  had  resolved  to  fol 
low  Him. 

In  silence  Hatty  and  her  mother  ascended 
the  short  flight  of  stairs  that  led  to  the  upper 
hall ;  then  the  little  girl  asked  eagerly — "  But 
where  is  the  baby  ?  I  have  not  seen  him  yet 
— or  Aunt  Barbara,  either." 

"  So  you  did  think  of  Aunt  Barbara.  I 
did'nt  know  but  you  had  forgotten  me  en 
tirely,  you  were  so  taken  up  with  your 
grandma,"  said  the  old  lady,  coming  slowly 
out  of  the  nursery. 

"No,  indeed,  I  had  not  forgotten  you," 
said  Hatty,  and  she  kissed  her  affectionately. 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  17 


Hatty  had  not  forgotten  Aunt  Barbara ; 
she  had  had  painful  reasons  for  remember 
ing  her.  The  unfortunate,  disrespectful 
words  she  had  spoken  to  the  old  lady,  had 
risen  up  to  her  again  and  again,  and  made 
her  pray  with  double  earnestness  to  be  for 
given  for  Jesus7  sake. 

Aunt  Barbara  led  the  way  to  the  nursery, 
and  there  on  the  bed  lay  the  baby,  the  pet  of 
the  house. 

"  0  what  a  dear,  tiny  little  creature  !"  said 
Hatty,  bending  over  it,  with  a  look  half  won 
der  and  half  affection.  "I  never  saw  such 
a  little  baby  before;  that  is,  I  don't  remember 
Harry  very  well,  when  he  was  so  young," 
she  added,  for  Hatty  was  trying  to  be  truth 
ful,  even  about  trifles. 

"  Harry  was  twice  as  big  at  the  same  age," 
said  Aunt  Barbara.  "He  always  was  a 
bouncer." 

Hatty  stooped  down  to  kiss  the  wee  mouth 
of  the  sleeping  baby,  but  Aunt  Barbara 
pushed  her  roughly  back,  and  said  impa 
tiently:  "Don't,  child!  don't,  you'll  wake 
him." 

"  Mamma  does  not  say  I  mustn't !"  sprang 
to  Hatty's  lips,  for  she  was  sadly  quick-tem- 
2* 


18  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


pered,  but  again  a  blush  of  shame  took  the 
place  of  hasty  words. 

"He  will  wake  soon,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  quick 
ly  but  quietly,  "and  then,  Hatty,  you  can 
hold  him  in  your  arms ;  he  is  not  much  heav 
ier  than  your  dolly,  Susan." 

"  Thank  you,  Mother.  I  should  like  that/7 
said  Hatty;  she  felt  that  her  mother  had 
wished  to  speak  quickly  to  keep  her  from 
wrong  words,  and  she  was  grateful  for  the 
kindness  that  would  help  her  to  do  right. 

il  Now,  Hatty,  you  had  better  come  to  your 
room,  and  take  off  your  things." 

"  To  our  room,"  said  Meg,  with  a  saucy, 
mischievous  look. 

Hatty  turned  towards  her  mother  with  a 
sudden  glance  of  inquiry. 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  "  you  are  to  have 
Meg  for  a  room-mate."  Hatty's  face  flushed, 
and  Mrs.  Lee  hastened  to  add,  "  I  thought 
you  would  like  to  help  me,  and  you  can  do 
so  best  by  taking  Meg  with  you,  and  having 
a  little  charge  over  her." 

Hatty  looked  very  soberly,  as  she  answer 
ed,  "  I  should  like  to  help  you,  Mother." 

Mrs.  Lee  opened  the  two  lower  drawers  of 
the  bureau,  and  said,  "  you  see  I  have  put 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  19 


some  of  Meg's  clothes  here ;  when  you  need 
any  more  you  can  come  to  me  for  them." 

"  But,  Mother,  where  are  all  my  presents, 
and  my  pretty  things  ?  That  is  too  bad !  I 
have  always  kept  them  so  nicely  in  those 
drawers!"  said  Hatty,  hastily. 

Mrs.  Lee  did  not  speak  for  a  moment ;  she 
opened  a  door  leading  into  a  large  lighted 
closet,  and  then  said,  "  Here,  my  darling,  you 
will  have  a  place  for  all  you  want  to  keep 
particularly  nice ;  see,  I  have  put  your  pres 
ents  in  this  drawer,  and  your  books  are  there 
above,  on  the  shelf.  I  have  put  a  little  table 
here  for  your  Bible,  and  you  must  not  forget 
to  'enter  into  your  closet/  to  pray  to  Him 
who  seeth  in  secret." 

"  0,  Mother,  you  are  so  very  kind  and  I 
am  so  very  hasty,"  exclaimed  Hatty ;  "  I  will 
not  forget  to  do  as  you  say,  for  indeed  I  need 
it.  You  will  have  to  be  very  patient  with 
me,  Mother,  for  I  am  afraid  I  shall  have  hard 
work  to  keep  my  resolutions." 

"  Trust  in  God  for  help  to  struggle  against 
your  faults,  and  in  the  end  you  will  conquer," 
said  the  mother,  with  an  affectionate  kiss,  and 
then  she  left  her  little  daughter  alone. 

Hatty  had  led  an  easy,  quiet  life  with  her 


20  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


grandmother  for  the  last  three  months,  and 
had  had  but  little  temptation  to  give  way  to 
her  hasty  temper.  Now  she  began  to  realize 
that  it  would  be  quite  another  thing,  where 
at  almost  every  moment  she  was  called  on 
to  give  up  her  own  will  and  pleasure  for  that 
of  others ;  but  she  was  not  disheartened.  God 
has  promised  to  give  his  strength  to  those 
who  really  wish  to  serve  Him,  and  on  this 
promise  little  Hatty  relied.  In  her  closet 
she  knelt  and  asked  the  blessing  of  Heaven 
on  her  poor  efforts,  and  she  rose  cheerful  and 
happy. 


III. 

(HEN  Hatty  had  arranged  her 
clothes  once  more  neatly  in  her 
own  room,  she  began  to  wonder 
what  had  become  of  Marcus,  and 
she  concluded  to  go  in  search  of 
him;  she  met  him  in  the  hall. 
He  seemed  much  excited,  and  said,  "  0  Hatty, 
what  beautiful  bantams !  I  have  put  them  in  a 
barrel,  and  carried  all  the  packages  grandma  ' 
sent,  to  the  kitchen,  and  now  I  want  to  know 
where  we  shall  keep  them?" 

Hatty  was  not  quite  pleased  that  Marcus 
should  take  the  bantams  so  immediately  under 
his  protection,  though  she  had  brought  them 
as  a  present  to  him.  She  checked  the  feeling 
of  annoyance,  and  said  pleasantly,  "  They  are 
yours,  Marcus,  so  you  can  plan  for  them  as 
you  think  best ;  but  perhaps  you  could  man 
age  to  make  a  coop,  as  you  do  not  go  to 
school  to-day." 

Marcus  was  delighted  with  the  presents, 

[21] 


22  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


and  resolved  to  set  to  work  immediately  to 
get  the  pets  into  comfortable  quarters  before 
Sunday. 

Hatty  put  on  her  sun-bonnet,  and  they  both 
were  soon  very  busy  in  the  yard,  planning 
for  the  chicken  coop  with  as  much  interest 
as  if  they  were  going  to  build  some  wonder 
ful  specimen  of  architecture  which  all  the 
world  would  admire. 

Marcus  found  in  the  wood-house  a  large 
packing  box,  and  after  much  hammering  he 
succeeded  in  knocking  out  one  side,  so  the 
chickens  could  have  their  feet  on  the  ground 
in  their  new  home. 

"  Chickens  are  like  the  Irishman  who  liked 
a  mud  floor  that  would  never  wear  out,  and 
never  need  washing,"  said  Marcus,  with  the  air 
of  one  who  was  instructing  some  ignorant 
person. 

"  Yes,  grandma  has  all  her  coops  made  that 
way,"  said  Hatty,  who  was  well  pleased  to 
show  that  she  understood  the  subject. 

Marcus  now  selected  a  board  of  the  right 
length,  and  had  just  begun  to  split  it  up  into 
slabs  for  the  front  of  the  coop,  when  he  heard 
Aunt  Barbara's  bed-room  window  go  up. 

Marcus  did  not  raise  his  eyes,  but  he  could 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  23 


not  stop  his  ears,  and  he  had  to  hear  the  shrill 
tone  that  called  out, ' ( Stop !  stop !  Marcus  Lee  1" 

Marcus  rested  his  hatchet  on  the  board, 
and  looked  up. 

"You  are  a  wasteful  boy!"  began  Aunt 
Barbara.  "  You  ought  to  be  ashamed  to  cut 
up  that  good  board  !" 

"Don't  mind  her, "said  Marcus,  in  an  un 
dertone,  as  he  resumed  his  work. 

"  Wait  a  minute,  Marcus,"  said  Hatty ;  and 
then  raising  her  voice  she  called  out,  "  Aunt 
Barbara,  we  want  a  coop  for  the  chickens — 
some  dear  little  bantams  I  brought  from 
grandma's  !" 

"Chickens!"  said  Aunt  Barbara,  much  as 
if  she  had  said  bears !  "  What  on  earth  did 
you  bring  them  here  for  ?  why,  they'll  ruin 
everything  in  the  garden,  and  crow  so  in  the 
morning  nobody  can  sleep." 

"We  are  going  to  shut  them  up,  Aunt 
Barbara,  and  that  will  keep  them  out  of  mis 
chief,"  said  Hatty,  trying  to  speak  pleasantly. 

"  Take  your  own  way !  take  your  own 
way !  Its  never  any  use  for  me  to  say  any 
thing  !"  said  Aunt  Barbara,  and  her  window 
was  put  down  with  such  jf  force  that  made 
the  glass  rattle. 


24  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


Marcus  had  expected  to  hear  Hatty  answer 
in  her  usual  hasty  way,  and  he*  was  quite 
surprised  to  see  that  she  did  not  seem  at  all 
angry,  and  now  had  no  unkind  remarks  to 
make  about  Aunt  Barbara.  He  did  not 
know  that  Hatty  had  been  obliged  to  cast 
one  look  up  to  the  clear  sky,  to  remember 
the  Great  Being  who  was  looking  down  upon 
her,  before  she  dare  trust  herself  to  speak, 
nor  did  he  know  that  she  was  now  wonder 
ing  why  Aunt  Barbara  should  be  so  unlike 
her  dear,  dear  grandma. 

Marcus  kept  steadily  on  at  his  work,  but 
Hatty  did  not  feel  satisfied  about  it  until  she 
had  asked  her  mother  if  there  was  really  any 
harm  in  what  they  were  doing.  After  Mrs. 
Lee  had  given  them  free  permission  to  go  on, 
the  morning  passed  pleasantly  away  in 
watching  Marcus,  and  she  was  quite  surprised 
when  the  dinner  bell  rang. 

"O  dear!"  said  Hatty,  "we  shall  have 
hardly  time  to  put  ourselves  in  order  for  the 
table." 

Although  Marcus  knew  that  it  was  his 
mother's  express  wish  that  he  should  never 
come  to  the  table  without  looking  neat  and 
tidy,  he  paid  little  regard  to  his  personal  ap- 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS.  25 


pearance;  but  there  was  something  in  the 
eager  way  in  which  Hatty  hastened  to  brush 
the  hair  she  had  been  too  much  inclined  to 
neglect,  that  had  its  influence  on  him. 

Hatty  was  in  her  seat  before  her  father 
was  at  the  table,  and  a  pleased  smile  crossed 
her  face  as  she  saw  that  Marcus  had  been 
using  the  clothes  brush,  and  combing  his 
straight  black  hair  off  his  high  forehead. 

The  dinner  hour  was  always  a  pleasant 
time  at  Mrs.  Lee's,  for  then  all  the  family 
were  together,  and  some  interesting  conver 
sation  was  sure  to  take  place.  Marcus  was  a 
restless  boy,  active  in  body  and  mind.  Re 
enjoyed  his  father's  society,  and  aifected  to 
think  that  he  was  the  only  one  in  the  family 
who  was  really  a  suitable  companions  for  a 
boy  of  the  mature  age  of  twelve ! 

Mr.  Lee  was  a  merchant ;  he-  had'  lately 
met  with  large  losses,  but  he  did  not  allow 
himself  to  be  saddened  by  misfortunes  that 
left  his  home  untouched,,  and1  all  his  dear 
ones  alive  and  well.  Mr.  Lee  was  a  tall, 
slender  man,  with  a  bright,  expressive  eye, 
and  a  large,  pleasant  mouth,  and  his  children 
thought  him  the  handsomest  man  in  Hyde, 
the  large  inland  town  where  he  lived. 
3 


26  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


During  the  dinner-hour  on  the  day  about 
which  we  are  writing,  Mr.  Lee  was  talking  of 
a  plan  for  building  an  Orphan  Asylum,  about 
which  the  citizens  of  Hyde  were  greatly  in 
terested. 

Marcus  listened  to  his  father's  remarks,  and 
seemed  to  think  himself  called  upon  to  reply. 
He  did  so,  and  showed  uncommon  quickness 
and  good  sense  for  a  boy  of  his  years  in  what 
he  said.  Mrs.  Lee  modestly  made  some  sug 
gestions,  which  her  husband  thought  particu 
larly  useful ;  but  Marcus'  lip  curled  as  his 
mother  spoke,  in  a  way  which  it  was  well 
for  him  escaped  his  father's  observation. 
After  dinner,  Mr.  Lee  was  obliged  to  hurry 
away,  but  not  too  soon  to  give  Hatty  a  kiss, 
and  to  say  to  her  how  pleasant  it  was  to  see 
her  face  once  more  at  the  table. 

"When  Mr.  Lee  was  gone,  Mrs.  Lee  resumed 
the  subject  about  which  they  had  been  talk 
ing,  and  sketched  what  she  thought  would 
be  an  improvement  on  the  internal  arrange 
ment  of  .the  proposed  building. 

"  Now  don't,  Mother ! "  said  Marcus. 
u  What  do  women  know  about  such  things?  " 

"What  do  boys  know?  you  had  better 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS.  27 


say ! "  said  Hatty,  hastily  taking  part  with 
her  mother. 

"  Any  sensible  boy  of  twelve  knows  more 
about  such  things  than  a  woman  !  "  said  Mar 
cus,  turning  to  leave  the  room. 

"  Stop,  Marcus,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  gently. 

Marcus  stopped,  but  did  not  approach  his 
mother.  She  stepped  to  his  side  and  said: 
"Marcus,  there  was  once  a  boy  of  twelve 
who  had  more  wisdom  than  the  learned  doc 
tors  in  the  Jewish  Temple.  He,  of  course, 
knew  more  than  his  mother.  Yet  he  went 
down  with  her  to  Nazareth,  and  was  subject 
unto  her.  Even  he  was  not  above  honor 
ing  his  father  and  mother.  Will  you  not 
try  to  imitate  him?  " 

"Marcus  was  softened  by  his  mother's 
gentle  manner,  and  he  answered:  "If  I 
don't  behave  as  I  ought  to  you,  Mother,  it  is 
a  great  shame ;"  and  then  he  was  again  turn 
ing  away. 

Again  he  was  detained.  Hatty  laid  her 
hand  on  his  arm  and  said:  "  Marcus,  I  did 
not  speak  rightly  to  you  just  now.  I  was 
angry.  I  am  sorry."  Hatty  blushed  painfully 
when  she  spoke,  arid  it  was  evident  the  ack 
nowledgment  cost  her  a  great  effort. 


28  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


"I  did  not  notice  it,"  said  Marcus,  hurry 
ing  away. 

Hatty  felt  a  little  hurt  at  the  way  her 
apology  was  received,  but  her  mother  took 
her  by  the  hand,  and  said:  "That  is  right, 
Hatty.  Confess  your  faults  one  to  another, 
and  pray  one  for  another.  You  must  not 
forget  Marcus  in  your  prayers." 

Hatty  was  silent  a  moment,  and  then  her 
mother  said :  "  Come  now,  my  dear,  the  baby 
is  awake,  and  you  will  have  an  opportunity 
to  see  his  queer  little  blue  eyes,  and  to  hold 
him  in  your  lap." 

Hatty  was  delighted  when  she  reached  the 
nursery,  to  be  allowed  to  take  the  tiny  being 
in  her  arms,  and  to  hold  his  pretty  soft  hand 
in  hers. 

Meg  and  Harry  seemed  to  think  it  was  a 
very  attractive  sight  to  see  Hatty  with  the 
"  baby  on  her  lap,  and  they  left  their  soap- 
bubbles  and  came  to  stand  about  her. 

At  this  moment  Aunt  Barbara  came  in. 
She  did  not  seem  to  notice  Hatty  and  the 
baby.  Her  eyes  at  once  fell  upon  the  bowl 
full  of  soap-suds  Meg  had  placed  on  a  chair. 

"Dear!  dear!  "  exclaimed  Aunt  Barbara, 
"  what  are  the  children  coming  to  ?  Why, 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  29 


they  waste  soap  as  if  it  grew,  instead  of  cost 
money !  Here,  Meg,  pour  this  away  directly, 
and  don't  do  such  a  thing  again !  " 

"  It  won't  help  it  to  throw  it  away,"  said 
Meg.  "I  want  to  blow  bubbles." 

"  Shan't  have  it !  shan't  have  it !  "  said  lit 
tle  Harry,  holding  tight  to  the  edge  of  the 
bowl  with  his  little  fat  hands. 

"  Aunt  Barbara,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  very 
gently,  "  I  told  the  children  they  might  blow 
bubbles  a  little  while  this  afternoon.  Jane 
mixed  the  soap  for  them,  that  they  need  not 
be  wasteful." 

"Its  little  use  savin'  in  such  a  house  as 
this ! "  said  Aunt  Barbara,  and  she  walked 
away  as  if  she  were  particularly  injured. 

Marcus  now  came  in  to  tell  how  happy 
and  contented  the  chickens  seemed  in  the 
new  coop.  He  saw  some  evidences  of  dis 
pleasure  on  the  faces  of  Meg  and  Harry,  and 
he  exclaimed,  "  I  met  Aunt  Barbara  in  the 
hall,  with  her  indignation  strut  on.  What's 
up?" 

"  Marcus,  my  son,  I  cannot  bear  to  hear 
you  speak  in  that  way  of  any  old  person, 
especially  of  Aunt  Barbara." 

"But  she  is  too  tiresome  and  provoking, 
3 


30  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


Mother.  If  I  want  a  piece  of  twine  for  a 
kite-string  she  calls  it  wasteful,  and — " 

"  Yes,"  broke  in  Meg,  "  and  when  I  want 
to  play  tea,  she  won't  let  me  have  a  bit  of 
milk  or  sugar, — that  is,  if  mother  is  not 
here." 

"  Hush,  hush,  my  children,"  said  Mrs.  Lee, 
with  a  look  of  pain.  u  Come,  sit  down  all 
of  you,  and  I  will  tell  you  a  story." 

Marcus  liked  to  hear  stories  as  well  as  lit 
tle  Meg  herself,  and  he  forthwith  sat  down 
on  the  floor,  where  he  could  look  straight 
into  his  mother's  eyes. 

Mrs.  Lee  began :  "  Once  there  was  a  little 
orphan  girl,  only  seven  years  old.  Her  fa 
ther  and  mother  died,  and  she  did  not  know 
what  was  to  become  of  her.  Now  this  little 
girl  had  an  aunt,  who  was  the  widow  of  a 
clergyman.  This  aunt  had  a  little  cottage  of 
her  own,  and  just  enough  money  to  live 
quietly  and  comfortably  by  herself.  She 
knew  if  she  took  the  little  orphan  to  her 
home,  she  must  deny  herself  a  great  many 
comforts  to  which  she  had  always  been  ac 
customed  ;  but  she  resolved  to  do  it. 

The  little  girl  was  very  glad  when  she 
found  that  she  was  not  alone  in  the  wide 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  31 


world,  and  she  soon  learned  to  love  the  kind 
aunt  who  did  so  much  for  her. 

Sometimes  she  was  surprised  to  see  what 
care  her  aunt  took,  that  nothing  should  be 
wasted;  and  she  often  wondered  why  her 
aunt  did  not  buy  herself  a  new  bonnet,  or  a 
new  dress,  which  she  seemed  to  need.  She 
did  not  know  that  her  aunt  had  to  practice 
so  much  care  and  economy,  to  give  her  a 
home.  By  and  by,  when  she  grew  older, 
she  understood  all  this,  and  tried  to  be  like  a 
daughter  to  the  friend  who  had  been  so  kind 
to  her.  Her  aunt's  queer  little  ways  only 
made  her  feel,  then,  that  it  was  for  her  she 
had  learned  to  save  even  the  shreds  she  cut 
off  when  she  was  sewing.  After  the  orphan 
girl  was  grown,  she  was  married  to  a  very 
kind  gentleman.  This  gentleman  was  so 
grateful  to  the  aunt  for  her  care  of  the  or 
phan,  that  he  wanted  her  to  come  and  live 
with  them  in  her  comfortable  home;  but 
Aunt  Barbara  said — " 

"  There,  there,  Mother !  you  have  let  it 
out,"  exclaimed  the  children  in  a  breath. 

"Don't,  don't,"  said  Hatty;  "what  did 
Aunt  Barbara  say,  Mother?" 

"  She   said,  your  old  aunty  is  queer  and 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


notional,  and  maybe  you  would  be  happier 
without  her.  No,  no,  let  me  stay  here  alone; 
I  shall  be  quite  contented  to  know  my  little 
orphan  is  so  well  taken  care  of!  It  was  of 
no  use  urging  Aunt  Barbara,  so  we  had  to 
let  her  have  her  way.  Now,  my  children, 
you  know  how  Aunt  Barbara  got  her  very 
economical  ways,  and  I  hope  you  will  have 
patience  with  her,  for  my  sake.7' 

"  Indeed,  I  will !"  said  Hatty,  looking  up 
with  her  eyes  full  of  tears. 

"I  won't  tease  her  any  more,"  said  Meg, 
nestling  at  her  mother's  side. 

Marcus  was  silent;  he  felt  too  deeply  to 
speak,  how  ill  a  return  he  had  made  to 
Aunt  Barbara  for  her  kindness  to  his  mother. 

"But  how  came  Aunt  Barbara  here?" 
asked  Hatty,  with  much  interest. 

"I  will  tell  you,"  said  Mrs.  Lee.  "We 
had  been  married  three  years,  when  I  had  a 
little,  helpless,  sickly  baby.  I  was  too  feeble 
to  take  proper  care  of  it,  and  your  father  was 
obliged  to  be  too  much  away  from  home  to 
give  me  any  help.  Aunt  Barbara  heard 
how  weak  and  pale  I  was  looking,  and  what 
a  poor,  suffering  baby  I  had.  Then  the  old 
lady  let  her  little  home  to  a  stranger,  and 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  33 


came  one  day  to  us.  She  said  she  could  not 
sleep  for  thinking  of  me  and  the  little  one, 
and  she  had  come  to  take  care  of  us.  And 
what  good  care  she  took  of  us !  She  seemed 
to  know  just  what  I  wanted.  I  was  young, 
then,  and  there  were  many  things  about 
which  I  was  as  ignorant  as  you  are.  Aunt 
Barbara  had  nourishing  food  made  for  me 
just  when  I  needed  it,  she  took  the  care  of 
the  housekeeping  from  me,  and  so  nursed  me 
that  I  soon  began  to  feel  strong  again.  But 
I  have  not  told  you  about  the  poor  baby. 
Aunt  Barbara  could  not  do  too  much  for  that 
baby.  It  was  a  cross  little  thing,  crying  even 
when  it  was  not  sick.  Aunt  Barbara  was 
never  out  of  patience  with  it.  She  attended 
to  its  food,  got  up  with  it  at  night,  and  even 
when  I  was  well  enough  to  take  it  with  me 
again,  she  was  hardly  willing  to  give  it  up. 

"  All  this  watching  and  nursing  was  too 
much  for  Aunt  Barbara ;  she  has  never  been 
well  since.  When  her  rheumatism  keeps  her 
awake  at  night,  she  is  often  irritable  and  in 
clined  to  find  fault  the  next  day.  When  I 
feel  tempted  to  be  out  of  patience  with  her, 
I  have  only  to  remember  that  it  was  for  me 
and  my  little  baby  she  came  here,  and  that  for 


34  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


us  she  wearied  herself  until  her  health  gave 
way." 

"  Mother,"  said  Hatty,  in  a  whisper,  "was 
I  that  little  sickly  baby  that  Aunt  Barbara 
was  so  patient  with?" 

"  Yes,  my  darling,"  was  Mrs.  Lee's  reply. 

The  many  impertinent,  hasty,  impatient 
words  that  she  had  spoken  to  her  old  aunt, 
returned  to  Hatty's  mind,  and  she  resolved 
to  ask  God  to  give  her  strength  to  make 
amends  for  the  past. 

"It  is  a  sad  truth,"  said  Mrs. Lee,  "that 
old  people  have  much  less  patience  shown 
towards  them  than  little  children  have,  yet 
they  need  it  quite  as  much.  God  has  so  ar 
ranged  it,  that  those  who  are  watched  over 
and  taken  care  of  when  they  are  helpless 
babes,  should  in  their  turn  nurse  and  com 
fort  the  feeble  old  age  of  their  parents.  .Ee 
member,  my  children,  old  age  makes  people 
in  one  way  like  infants;  that  is,  it  leads  them  to 
be  irritable  and  troublesome,  and  often  help 
less,  and  these  defects  should  be  borne  with 
tenderly,  as  your  father  or  I  would  soothe  that 
dear  baby  on  Hatty's  lap.  God  has  taught 
in  his  holy  book  the  greatest  respect  to  the 
aged,  and  his  eye  sees  with  displeasure  even 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  35 


a  rude  look  cast  towards  one  who  is  grey- 
haired." 

The  children  were  all  silent.  Mrs.  Lee 
saw  that  they  were  moved,  and  in  her  heart 
she  prayed  that  God  would  grant  a  blessing 
upon  the  earnest  words  she  had  spoken,  and 
save  her  dear  ones  from  falling  into  the  sin 
so  offensive  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 


IV. 

)HEN  Hatty  went  to  bed,  on  the 
evening  of  her  return,  she  found 
Meg  fast  asleep,  and  apparently 
as  much  at  home  as  if  she  had 
always  had  a  right  to  talk  of  "  our 
room,'7  instead  of  being  one  of 
the  children  in  the  nursery. 

Hatty  looked  at  the  little  brown  face  ly 
ing  on  the  pillow,  and  the  long  dark  lashes 
hiding  the  mischievous  eyes,  and  she  felt 
that  she  loved  her  little  sister  dearly,  and 
would  be  willing  to  be  put  to  a  great  deal 
of  inconvenience  to  be  of  service  to  her. 
When  Hatty  knelt  that  night  in  the  quiet 
closet  her  mother  had  given  up  to  her  use, 
she  did  not  forget  to  pray  that  she  might  be 
patient  and  gentle  with  Meg,  and  so  win  her 
confidence  as  to  be  able  to  lead  her  to  the 
Saviour,  who  loves  to  call  the  little  ones  His 
own. 

[86] 


HATTY  AND   MAKCUS.  37 


Hatty's  short  reading  in  the  Bible  that 
evening  was  about  the  crucifixion  of  our  Sa 
viour,  and  as  she  prepared  to  lie  down,  she 
wondered  how  he  could  have  borne  such 
suffering  without  one  murmur.  Hatty  had 
a  perfect  horror  of  pain.  Her  skin  was  thin 
and  delicate,  and  even  the  grasp  of  a  rough 
hand  on  her  arm  was  sure  to  leave  a  bruise. 
Her  usually  pleasant  face  was  clouded  over 
by  a  scratch  or  a  pin-prick,  and  her  tears 
often  fell  fast  for  a  wound  that  many  chil 
dren  would  have  met  with  a  smile.  Hatty 
was  naturally  very  sensitive  to  pain,  and  that 
was  not  her  fault ;  but  she  had  never  yet  be 
gun  to  try  to  bear  it  patiently,  as  a  part  of 
her  Christian  duty.  As  she  lay  clown  that 
night,  she  resolved  to  be  more  patient  under( 
little  trials,  and  to  make  light  of  little  pains.. 

Hatty's  new  resolution  was  soon  put  to 
the  test.  She  had  hardly  put  her  head  on 
the  pillow,  before  she  became  conscious  that 
her  couch  was  anything  but  a  bed  of  roses. 

Meg  had  consoled  herself  for  going  to  sleep 
in  a  strange  room  by  herself,  by  munching 
hard  crackers  until  that  pleasure  was  lost  in 
the  new  joy  of  the  dreams  of  childhood. . 
The  bed  was  strewn  with  the  crumbs,  and 


38  HATTY  AXU   MARCUS. 


through  her  thin  night-dress  Hatty  could 
feel  them  in  all  directions.  After  brushing 
them  this  way  and  that  way,  Hatty  jumped 
out  of  bed  with  an  angry  bound,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  light  the  candle  and  rectify  the 
mischief  in  a  systematic  manner. 

"  The  troublesome  little  thing!"  exclaimed 
Hatty,  as  she  saw  a  half-eaten  cracker  lying 
in  Meg's  loosened  grasp.  "  She  ought  to  be 
punished  for  it !" 

At  that  moment  Hatty  thought  of  her  res 
olution  to  be  patient  under  trifling  discom 
forts,  and  a  feeling  of  mortification  came 
over  her.  Very  quietly  she  brushed  away 
the  offending  crumbs,  gently  she  removed 
the  .half-eaten  cracker,  and  then  she  knelt  to 
ask  forgiveness  for  this  new  exhibition  of  her 
hasty  temper,  ere  she  again  lay  down  to 
rest. 

Hatty  *was  soon  in  a  sweet  sleep ;  but 
shortly  after  imidnight  she  was  awakened  by 
a  feeling  .very  much  as  if  a  broom-handle 
were  thrust  against  her,  while  at  the  same 
time  Meg  exclaimed,  "  Do  move,  Hatty,  yon 
crowd  so.  I  wish  you  would'nt  come  on  my 
side  of  the  bed." 

Meg  w.as  .a ,  thin, .  bony  little  creature,  and 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  39 


the  children  all  dreaded  a  punch  with  her 
sharp  elbows  almost  as  much  as  one  of  her 
scientific  pinches. 

Hatty's  tender  side  actually  ached,  but 
she  made  an  effort  to  say,  gently,  "Meg,  you 
must  be  dreaming;  wake  up  !" 

1 '  I  am  not  asleep  at  all !"  said .  Meg,  pet 
tishly.  "  I  wish  you  would  move  1" 

Hatty  passed  her  hand  along  the  seam  of 
the  sheet  (Mrs.  Lee  used  her  old-fashioned 
sheets  on  the  children's  beds)  to  assure  her 
self  that  she  was  on  her  own  side  of  the  bed, 
and  then  she  was  going  to  tell  Meg  that  it 
was  she  who  was  out  of  place  ;  but  something 
checked  her,  and  she  only  said,  pleasantly, 
"  Never  mind,  Meg,  where  the  middle  of  the 
bed  is, — you  shall  have  all  the  room  you 
want ;"  and  making  way  for  her  little  friend 
with  the  sharp  elbows,  Hatty  composed 
herself  again  to  sleep,  with  a  far  happier 
feeling  than  if  she  had  contended  for  her 
rights. 

Once  she  was  going  to  say,  "  0  Meg,  it 
hurts  me  still  where  you  punched  me,"  but 
she  checked  the  words,  and  thought  how 
trifling  was  such  a  pain  compared  with  the 
nails  in  the  hands  of  our  great  example,  who 


40  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


has  bid  us  follow  him  in  his  patience,  as  well 
as  in  perfect  purity. 

Hatty's  long  ride  from  her  grandmother's, 
a  distance  of  sixteen  miles,  and  the  excite 
ment  of  her  return  home,  made  her  sleep 
very  soundly,  when  not  disturbed,  and  she 
would  gladly  have  continued  her  nap  until 
the  rousing  bell  gave  forth  its  summons. 

Meg  was  something  like  the  uneasy  birds 
who  twitter  at  midnight  on  their  perches, 
and  wake  at  dawn  to  sing,  as  if  they  never 
knew  the  need  of  rest. 

By  the  first  grey  streak  of  morning  she 
began  to  stir,  and  was  soon  wide  awake  and 
full  of  glee  at  finding  herself  in  her  new 
quarters. 

Hatty  turned  her  back  resolutely,  but  in 
vain.  Meg  was  not  to  be  so  easily  disposed 
of.  Hatty  was  going  to  say  some  hasty 
words  to  Meg,  as  she  twitched  away  from 
her,  when  Meg  pleaded,  uDo  wake  up,  sister 
Hatty.  It  is  Sunday  morning." 

" Sunday  morning!"  that  thought  brought 
Hatty  to  herself — and  making  an  effort  to 
throw  off  her  sleepiness,  she  turned  towards 
Meg,  and  said,  "  Well,  then,  give  me  a  nice 
kiss  to  begin  the  day." 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  41 


Meg  gave  the  kiss  with  real  good  will,  and 
then,  nestling  up  close  to  Hatty,  she  began 
to  talk  as  if  her  tongue  needed  violent  exer 
cise  to  make  up  for  being  quiet  all  night. 

Before  many  minutes  were  over,  Hatty 
had  set  that  little  tongue  at  Sunday  work, 
repeating  all  the  hymns  and  Bible  verses 
that  Meg  had  learned  during  the  three 
months  that  Hatty  had  been  away  from 
home. 

Meg  was  full  of  eager  questions  about  her 
hymns  and  her  verses,  and  Hatty  had  an  op 
portunity  of  giving  the  little  one  some  sweet 
lessons  about  the  loving  Saviour  and  what 
He  wishes  in  His  lambs,  that  she  would 
have  lost  if  she  had  given  way  to  her  selfish 
wish  for  a  longer  nap. 

We  do  not  know,  when  we  give  way  to 
our  own  whims,  instead  of  being  unselfish, 
what  opportunities  of  usefulness  we  may  be 
losing.  If  we  do  one  duty  well,  some  higher 
and  more  important  duty  generally  follows 
close  upon  it. 

Hatty  took  a  pleasure  in  making  Meg  look 
particularly  nice  that  Sunday  morning,  and 
she  was  well  pleased  when  her  mother  smil 
ingly  remarked  at  breakfast  that  Meg  showed 


42  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


very  plainly  that  she  had  fallen  into  good 
hands.  "  Hatty  needs  a  little  attention,  her 
self,"  added  Mrs.  Lee,  and  she  glanced  at  the 
irregular  white  line  which  separated  the  two 
heavy  masses  of  waving  red  hair  on  each  side 
of  Hatty's  head. 

Hatty  would  rather  have  gone  without  her 
breakfast  than  had  her  hair  parted.  Hatty 
was  apt  to  fret  about  being  hurt  all  the  while 
the  operation  was  going  on,  and  Mrs.  Lee 
actually  dreaded  to  propose  what,  "if  borne 
cheerfully,  would  have  been  but  the  work  of 
a  moment.  Happily  for  Hatty,  at  that  instant 
her  thoughts  were  called  in  a  different  direc 
tion  by  Marcus'  sudden  question — 

"  Where  is  Aunt  Barbara  this  morning?  " 

Even  the  question  showed  some  interest  in 
the  old  lady ;  and  Mrs.  Lee  hailed  it  as  an 
indication  of  a  better  state  of  feeling  in  her 
son. 

"  Aunt  Barbara  is  not  very  well  this  morn 
ing;  she  did  not  get  up  as  early  as  usual," 
said  Mrs.  Lee. 

"  Shan't  I  go  up  to  see  if  I  can  do  any 
thing  for  her?  "  said  Hatty,  eagerly. 

u  She  will  be  down  soon,  I  think ;  but  you 
may  go,"  said  the  mother,  pleasantly. 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  43 


Hatty  ran  up  stairs,  and  knocked  very 
gently  on  Aunt  Barbara's  door. 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "What  do  you  want  ?  "  an 
swered  Aunt  Barbara's  voice  from  within. 

"It  is  Hatty.  Can  I  do  anything  for 
you  ?  "  said  the  little  girl. 

"  No !  "  was  at  first  the  decided  answer ; 
then  followed  a  sudden  call  "  Stop,  stop, 
child.  Come  in  a  moment." 

Hatty  stepped  in,  but  felt  like  drawing 
back  as  Aunt  Barbara  stood  there,  half 
dressed,  with  her  grey  hair  uncovered,  and 
her  thin,  shrivelled  arms  bare. 

"Don't  stare  as  if  you  were  frightened,  " 
said  Aunt  Barbara,  quickly.  "  Old  people 
are  not  generally  very  beautiful  to  look  at! " 

"  Can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?  "  said  Hatty, 
pleasantly. 

u  Yes,  if  you  want  to.  I  can't  find  my 
pocket.  Perhaps  you  can  see  it.'7 

Aunt  Barbara  wore  a  pocket  tied  on  under 
her  dress  with  a  string,  and  she  had  been  for 
some  moments  looking  for  it,  as  she  was 
ready  to  put  it  on. 

Hatty  glanced  round  the  room,  and  was 
delighted  when  she  saw  a  piece  of  white  Mar 
seilles  peeping  out  from  under  the  tumbled 


44  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


bed-clothes.  She  sprang  towards  it,  and 
handed  the  pocket  to  the  old  lady,  who  took 
it  without  a  word,  and  went  on  dressing  her 
self. 

Hatty  began  to  pick  up  the  things  about 
the  room,  and  to  throw  open  the  bed;  for 
she  knew  Aunt  Barbara  would  not  think  of 
going  down  to  breakfast  until  the  room  was 
a  little  in  order. 

Aunt  Barbara  did  not  seem  to  notice  her ; 
but  when  she  had  tied  the  strings  to  her 
close-quilled  muslin  cap,  and  pinned  a  broad 
black  ribbon  round  it,  she  said :  "  Come,  now, 
child,  its  not  worth  while  your  breakfast 
should  get  cold  while  you  are  waiting  on 
me." 

Hatty's  face  brightened,  and  she  said, 
eagerly:  "I  should  be  glad  to  do  anything 
for  you,  Aunt  Barbara." 

"  You  may  have  more  chance  than  you 
want,  if  I  feel  like  this  many  mornings,"  said 
Aunt  Barbara,  very  sharply. 

Aunt  Barbara  was  not  very  pleasant  at 
breakfast  that  morning.  Nothing  seemed 
cooked  to  suit  her.  The  fact  was,  the  poor 
old  lady  was  not  well,  and  had  no  appetite, 


HATTY  AND   MAKCUS.  45 


and  that  made  everything  seem  out  of  the 
way  to  her. 

Hatty  could  not  help  noticing  how  pleas 
antly  her  mother  took  Aunt  Barbara's  com 
ments  on  the  breakfast,  that  would  have  put 
many  housekeepers  out  of  patience.  When 
nothing  on  the  table  seemed  to  suit  Aunt 
Barbara,  Mrs.  Lee  quietly  sent  out  for  a  bit 
of  ham  to  be  boiled ;  and  when  it  came  in, 
she  seemed  pleased  that  the  old  lady  ate  a 
few  mouthfuls, — complaining  at  first  that  it 
was  done  a  trifle  too  much,  and  in  the  end 
making  way  with  it  all. 

Mr.  Lee  did  not  seem  to  notice  that  Aunt 
Barbara  was  not  well, — at  least  he  did  not  ask 
about  her  health ;  and  Hatty  thought  at  first 
it  was  not  quite  right  in  her  father,  and  she 
wondered  that  he  should  do  anything  so  un 
like  himself.  By-and-by  she  noticed  that  all 
the  topics  he  brought  up  were  such  as  were 
likely  to  interest  Aunt  Barbara.  He  spoke 
of  meeting  an  old  minister  who  used  to  live 
near  her  own  home,  and  tolcl  how  cheerfully 
he  talked  of  his  long,  active  life,  and  of  the 
happy  time  when  he  should  meet  his  Master 
in  heaven.  Then  he  brought  up  the  new 
orphan  asylum,  which  was  always  sure  to 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


enlist  Aunt  Barbara's  attention ;  and  at  last 
she  seemed  to  forget  her  pains,  while  listen 
ing  to  his  account  of  the  meeting  on  the  sub 
ject  he  had  attended  the  evening  before. 

Hatty  felt  pleased  as  she  saw  the  shadow 
passing  from  the  old  lady's  face,  and  she 
glanced  across  for  Marcus  to  sympathize  in 
her  satisfaction.  He  did  not  see  her,  but 
Hatty  noticed  th#t  he  placed  a  comfortable 
chair,  after  breakfast,  near  the  window  where 
Aunt  Barbara  best  loved  to  sit,  and  drew  a 
footstool  up  to  it. 

Marcus  did  not  think  that  anybody  ob 
served  him,  but  two  hearts  were  made  glad 
by  this  little  effort  of  kindness.  Mrs.  Lee 
and  Hatty  both  saw  that  Marcus'  feelings 
towards  Aunt  Barbara  had  undergone  a 
happy  change.  Marcus'  feelings  had  been 
touched,  but  feelings  are  a  poor  dependence 
for  doing  right,  without  principle. 

Hatty  was  delighted  at  the  idea  of  going 
to  church  once  more  in  her  dear  native  town. 
She  felt  that  it  would  be  a  new  and  better 
thing  to  be  there,  now  that  she  could  count 
herself  among  those  who  were  glad  at  the 
thought,  "  God  is  in  His  holy  temple."  Hatty 
began,  in  her  impatience,  to  make  her  prep- 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  47 


arations  in  very  good  season.  She  had  laid 
out  on  her  bed  all  the  things  she  expected  to 
wear,  when  her  mother  called  her  to  come 
into  the  nursery. 

Hatty  went  promptly  as  far  as  the  door, 
but  she  moved,  across  the  floor  more  slowly 
when  she  saw  that  her  mother  had  a  comb 
and  brush  in  her  hand. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  have  no  trouble  about 
the  hair,  this  morning.  It  needs  parting, 
sadly,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  in  her  gentle  way. 

Hatty's  mind  was  made  up  at  that  mo 
ment  ;  her  mother  might  pull  as  hard  as  was 
necessary,  she  would  not  say  a  word  if  it 
hurt  her  ever  60  much. 

Mrs.  Lee  used  the  comb  very  carefully, 
yet  it  was  disagreeable,  almost  painful  to 
Hatty's  delicate  skin.  She  shut  her  mouth 
tight,  however,  and  thought  of  her  resolu 
tion  to  bear  little  hurts  pleasantly,  and  actu 
ally  got  through  without  a  murmur. 

When  the  hair  was  brushed  smoothly, 
Hatty's  face  looked  very  sweet  from  the 
effort  she  had  made  to  do  right,  and  she  well 
deserved  the  affectionate  kiss  her  mother 
pressed  on  her  lips. 

"  Perhaps  I  could  help  Aunt  Barbara  get 


48  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


ready  for  church,"  said  Hatty,  one  right  ac 
tion  leading  to  another. 

"  Aunt  Barbara  is  not  well  enough  to  go, 
to-day.  I  am  very  sorry,  on  my  own  ac- 
count  af  well  as  on  hers.  It  is  Communion 
day,  and  I  had  hoped  to  go  to  church,  for 
the  first  time  in  many  weeks." 

"But  cannot  you  go,  Mother?"  said  Hatty, 
earnestly. 

"  No,  my  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  quietly. 
"  I  do  not  like  to  leave  Aunt  Barbara  with 
no  one  to  wait  upon  her.  I  promised  Betsy, 
yesterday,  that  she  should  go  out  this  morn 
ing,  and  Jane  will  be  busy  with  the  baby 
and  Harry." 

Hatty  was  silent  for  a  moment ;  a  struggle 
was  going  on  in  her  mind.  At  length  she 
looked  up  with  a  beautiful,  bright  expression 
on  her  face,  and  said,  "  I  will  stay  with  Aunt 
Barbara,  if  you  could  trust  her  with  me.  I 
do  not  want  you  to  be  kept  at  home." 

Mrs.  Lee  knew  the  effort  it  must  have  cost 
her  little  girl  to  give  up  the  pleasure  for 
which  she  had  been  so  eagerly  preparing,  but 
she  did  not  refuse  her  kind  offer. 

"Thank  you,  my  darling;  I  shall  feel 
quite  easy  leaving  Aunt  Barbara  with  you. 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  49 


*  I  was  sick  and  ye  visited  me,'  our  Saviour 
says,  and  then  adds,  *  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me.7  That  thought  makes  tak 
ing  care  of  the  sick  doubly  pleasant.  And 
now,  darling,  instead  of  putting  on  your  own 
things,  which  are  all  laid  out  so  nicely,  you 
will  have  to  help  me  to  get  ready." 

Hatty  was  glad  to  be  kept  very  busy  that 
she  might  not  have  a  moment  to  regret  her 
choice,  and  she  made  herself  so  actively  use 
ful,  that  Mrs.  Lee  was  not  at  all  too  late  in 
joining  the  group  waiting  for  her  in  the  hall 
below. 

"  Why !  are  you  not  going,  Hatty  ?"  ex 
claimed  Marcus,  as  his  sister  appeared  at  her 
mother's  side. 

"  Hatty  is  going  to  stay  with  Aunt  Bar 
bara.  She  may  need  some  attention,  and. I 
did  not  like  to  leave  her  alone,"  said  Mrs. 
Lee. 

Marcus  looked  up  in  surprise.  He  knew 
with  what  eagerness  Hatty  had  spoken  in 
the  morning  of  being  at  church,  and  could 
not  but  wonder  at  the  sudden  change, — she 
looked  so  cheerful.  One  glance  at  the  sweet, 
5 


50  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


bright  expression  of  her  face,  convinced  him 
of  the  generous  motive  that  had  kept  her  at 
home.  Marcus  began  to  think  there  was 
some  strength  in  Hatty's  new  resolution  to 
do  right. 


V. 

TINT  Barbara's  room  was  in  the 
back  building,  and  the  entrance  to 
it  was  on  the  first  landing  to  the 
front  stairs.  The  old  lady  had  cho 
sen  that  room,  when  she  came  to 
Mrs.  Lee's,  because  no  one  had  ever 
occupied  it ;  for  she  said,  "  I  never  did  turn 
anybody  out,  and  I  never  mean  to." 

There  Aunt  Barbara  had  collected  about 
her  all  her  favorite  pieces  of  old-fashioned 
furniture,  her  dark  mahogany  secretary- 
bureau,  with  its  bright  brass  rings  held  fast 
in  the  mouths  of  wrinkled  old  brass  faces, 
and  her  curtained  bed,  with  all  its  festoons 
and  fringes. 

When  Hatty  stepped  into  the  room,  she 
saTv  Aunt  Barbara  sitting  bolt-upright  in  a 
stjftff,  straight-backed  chair,  and  looking  not 
much  in  the  humor  for  little  visitors. 

2  (51) 


52  HATTY  AND   MAKCUS. 


"  Aunt  Barbara,  mother  thought  perhaps 
you  would  like  some  one  with  you  this 
morning,  and  so  I  have  brought  in  my  Sun 
day  books,  and  will  sit  here,  if  you  like,"  said 
Hatty,  in  a  cheerful  tone. 

"  I  don't  mind  your  sitting  here,  if  you 
choose,"  was  the  old  lady's  reply. 

Hatty  did  not  know  what  to  say  next,  so 
she  mounted  into  one  of  the  high,  stiff 
chairs,  and  took  up  a  book  and  tried  to 
read.  Her  eyes  would  wander  to  Aunt 
Barbara,  sitting  up  straight  and  still,  and 
looking  out  of  the  window  at  the  sky.  At 
length  Hatty  said,  "  Do  lie  down,  Aunt  Bar 
bara  ;  I  am  sure  you  would  be  more  comfort 
able.  Let  me  fix  your  pillows  nicely  for 
you." 

"  I  never  go  to  bed  when  I  can  sit  up.  I 
was  not  brought  up  to  loll  about  and  make 
myself  sick  by  being  lazy,"  said  Aunt  Bar 
bara. 

Hatty  tried  to  read  for  a  few  moments 
more ;  then  Aunt  Barbara  moved,  and  she 
looked  at  her  again. 

The  old  lady  evidently  wanted  something 
she  could  not  find  in  her  pocket,  and  yet  did 
not  feel  like  getting  up. 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS.  53 


Hatty  glanced  her  eyes  round  the  room, 
and  saw  Aunt  Barbara's  spectacles  on  the 
mantel-piece. 

She  jumped  up  and  handed  them  to 
her.  "  You  may  give  me  my  Bible,  if  you 
choose,"  said  Aunt  Barbara,  in  a  pleasanter 
tone  than  she  had  used  that  morning. 

Hatty  laid  the  great  Bible  on  Aunt  Bar- 
bara's  lap,  and  for  a  few  moments  the  old 
lady  seemed  nodding;  but  she  soon  began  to 
rub  her  spectacles  as  if  they  were  not  clean, 
and  then  she  put  her  hand  to  her  head,  and 
said,  "  old  folks  can't  sit  and  read  all  day  like 
young  ones." 

"  That  is  just  what  grandma  tells  me," 
said  Hatty ;  "  and  she  says  young  people 
ought  to  remember  that,  and  learn  a  great 
many  Bible  verses  to  think  about  when  they 
are  too  sick  or  too  old  to  read." 

"  But  if  they  did  not  do  that  when  they 
were  young/7  said  Aunt  Barbara,  "  did 
grandma  say  what  they  should  do  then  ?" 

"  She  did  not  say  anything  about  that," 
said  Hatty,  looking  puzzled.  In  another 
moment  she  added,  in  her  most  pleasant  way, 
"  would  not  you  like  me  to  read  to  you  a 
little,  Aunt  Barbara?" 


54  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


"  If  you  can  make  that  little  tongue  of 
yours  go  slow  enough  for  me  to  understand, 
you  may  try,"  said  Aunt  Barbara. 

Hatty  drew  her  chair  close  up  to  Aunt 
Barbara,  and  was  going  to  ask  when  she 
should  begin,  when  the  old  lady  said,  pet 
tishly,  "Go  round  to  the  other  side,  child! 
don't  you  know  that's  my  deaf  ear?"  Hatty 
moved  as  she  was  requested,  and  then  Aunt 
Barbara  told  her  to  read  the  103d  Psalm. 
Hatty  was  a  very  pleasant  reader,  and  she 
had  lately  taken  great  pains  not  to  speak  too 
rapidly. 

Aunt  Barbara  must  have  been  pleased,  for 
she  kept  Hatty  reading,  reading,  until  the 
family  came  home  from  church ;  and  when  she 
turned  to  leave  the  room,  she  said,  "  Thank 
you,  child ;  I  think  going  to  your  grandma's 
has  done  you  good." 

Mrs.  Lee  had  not  told  Aunt  Barbara  of 
Hatty's  letter  about  her  new  resolutions,  yet 
the  old  lady  felt  that  some  change  must  have 
taken  place  in  Hatty  to  make  her  willing  to 
give  up  her  own  pleasure  to  sit  in  that  quiet 
room  with  a  sick,  fretful  old  woman,  as  Aunt 
Barbara  knew  herself  to  be  that  morning. 

Hatty  enjoyed  her  afternoon  at  Sunday 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  55 


school  all  the  more  for  the  sacrifice  she  had 
made ;  and  when  the  children  all  gathered 
in  the  parlor  before  tea  to  say  their  catechism 
and  Bible  verses  to  their  father,  she  felt  as  if 
she  were  one  of  the  happiest  little  girls  in  the 
world. 

Mrs.  Lee  was  all  the  afternoon  with  Aunt 
Barbara,  and  when  night  came  the  Doctor 
was  sent  for,  and  Jane  and  Betsy  were  called 
in  to  help  Mrs.  Lee  to  get  the  poor  old  lady 
into  bed,  for  she  was  very  sick. 

The  Doctor  looked  soberly,  and  said  the 
disease  must  have  been  coming  on  some  time — 
that  there  was  a  great  deal  of  irritation  in  her 
system,  and  he  could  not  say  how  her  sick 
ness  might  end. 

Hatty  and  Marcus  heard  the  Doctor  say 
these  words  in  the  hall  as  he  went  out.  The 
tears  came  into  Hatty's  eyes,  and  she  said  to 
her  brother,  "  How  I  wish  we  had  never 
spoken  a  wrong  word  to  Aunt  Barbara  !" 

Marcus  did  not  reply,  but  he  walked  away 
to  his  room,  to  lie  awake  with  sad,  repentant 
thoughts. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  no  idea  how  rude  her  children 
had  often  been  to  Aunt  Barbara ;  her  pres 
ence  had  been  some  check  upon  them, 


56  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


though  she  had  heard  enough  to  give  her 
pain.  Aunt  Barbara  had  led  for  many  years 
a  quiet  life,  and  the  noise  and  restlessness  of 
children  tired  and  worried  her;  and  latterly 
she  had  been  far  from  well. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  been  for  some  weeks  con 
fined  to  her  room,  and  during  this  time 
Aunt  Barbara  had  had  much  to  bear  from 
Marcus  and  the  little  ones ;  but  she  never 
complained  to  Mrs.  Lee,  though  she  daily 
grew  more  harsh  in  her  own  manner  to  the 
children. 

A  little  gentleness,  a  little  patience  on  the 
part  of  those  who  were  young,  healthy  and 
happy,  would  have  done  much  to  make  poor 
old  Aunt  Barbara  more  pleasant  and  cheer 
ful. 


VI. 

^  0 W  came  an  anxious  period  in  Hatty's 
home.  Mrs.  Lee,  and  a  nurse  who 
was  hired  for  the  purpose,  spent  their 
time  in  Aunt  Barbara's  room,  while 
the  Doctor  came  and  went  with  a 
troubled,  serious  air. 
On  Hatty,  meanwhile,  fell  the  care  of  Meg 
and  Harry.  Hatty  found  having  Meg  in  her 
room  by  no  means  so  troublesome  as  she  had 
expected.  Meg's  desire  to  meddle  with 
Hatty's  things,  and  to  put  them  out  of  order, 
seemed  to  have  gone  now  that  she  could  say 
"oar  room."  She  even  made  herself  a  kind 
of  guardian  against  Harry's  inroads;  and 
when  she  heard  his  little  feet  pattering  that 
way,  she  would  get  in  advance  of  him  with 
her  swift  skips,  and  have  the  door  shut  be 
fore  he  reached  it. 

Hatty  found  it  quite  impossible  to   keep 

[57] 


58  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


the  children  quiet,  so  she  managed  to  have 
them  in  the  garden  as  much  as  she  could,  in 
pleasant  weather,  that  they  might  not  disturb 
Aunt  Barbara. 

At  the  foot  of  the  wide  walk  that  led 
down  between  the  flower  beds,  was  a  pleas 
ant  arbour,  and  here  Hatty  made  a  kind  of 
a  little  home  of  her  own.  Marcus  put  up  a 
tight  box  on  one  of  the  seats,  and  there 
Hatty  kept  a  store  of  books  and  play -things 
for  herself  and  the  children,  to  make  the 
place  attractive,  and  looked  so  bright  and 
happy  herself,  that  when  Marcus  came  from 
school  he  was  glad  to  leave  the  dull,  quiet 
house,  to  join  the  circle  in  the  arbour. 

Hatty  was  bnsy  sewing  there,  one  day, 
while  Meg  made  a  parasol  for  her  doll,  of  a 
maple  leaf,  and  Harry  drew  a  long-necked 
squash  up  and  down  the  walk  for  a  carriage. 
Suddenly  Hatty  heard  Marcus  come  out  the 
back  door,  whistling  a  cheerful  tune.  Hatty 
tucked  her  work  in  her  pocket,  and  quickly 
picked  up  some  bits  of  bright-colored  worsted 
that  were  scattered  over  her  dress. 

Marcus  came  down  the  walk,  kicking  a 
ball  before  him,  and  leaped  into  the  arbour 
with  a  regular  bound. 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  59 


"Well,  Hatty,"  he  exclaimed,  "1  was  head 
of  my  class  to-day,  and  did  not  get  a  mark 
for  being  late,  either.  So  I  stand  a  chance 
for  the  prize  yet." 

"  Were  you  not  late  ?"  asked  Hatty,  with 
surprise. 

"  0  yes!"  answered  Marcus,  with  a  laugh. 
•<"  The  boys  were  all  on  their  knees  when  I 
went  in,  but  I  opened  the  door  quietly,  and 
nobody  heard  me ;  so  I  got  off  famously." 

"  But  what  did  you  say  when  your  name 
was  called?  You  did  not  tell  an  untruth, 
Marcus  ?"  said  Hatty,  anxiously. 

"  No,  indeed  !"  said  Marcus,  indignantly. 
"  I  am  above  that !" 

"  I  don't  understand  it  at  all,"  said  Hatty, 
uneasily. 

"  Why,  this  was  the  way.  When  Mr. 
Briggs  called  over  the  names  for  punctuality, 
some  how  or  other  his  attention  wandered 
just  before  he  got  to  my  name,  and  he 
skipped  it,  so  I  did  not  have  to  answer  at  all. 
After  Mr.  Briggs  went  out  I  looked  at  my 
name,  and  there  was  a  cross  after  it  for 
punctual ;  so  you  see  it  is  all  right,  and  my 
chance  for  the  prize  is  as  good  as  ever." 

UI  would  rather  have  a  brother  who  told 


60  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


the  truth,  than  one  who  got  the  prize,"  said 
Hatty,  earnestly.  "  Dear  Marcus,  won't  you 
tell  Mr.  Briggs  about  it  ?" 

"  I  shall  do  no  such  thing.  Girls  are  so 
silly !  You  never  can  make  them  under 
stand  anything/'  said  Marcus,  hastily. 

But  Hatty  did  understand.  She  felt  that 
Marcus  had  acted  a  lie  for  the  sake  of  win 
ning  the  prize  he  so  greatly  desired.  She 
knew  he  would  be  angry  if  she  said  any 
thing  more  about  it ;  but  she  could  not  be 
silent  and  let  him  do  wrong,  without  one 
more  effort.  After  a  moment,  in  which  she 
asked  God  to  help  her  to  keep  down  her  own 
quick  temper  if  Marcus  should  make  a  harsh 
reply,  Hatty  said : 

"  Marcus,  you  know  what  mother  tells  us 
about  the  book  where  what  we  call  secret 
things  are  written  down,  to  be  read  on  the 
great  day  when  all  things  will  be  known. 
Something  will  stand  against  your  name, 
there,  worse  than  a  mark  for  being  unpunc- 
tual.  Dear  Marcus,  do  tell  the  truth,  and  not 
mind  the  prize.  You  will  not  care  about  the 
prize  when  you  are  happy  with  the  beautiful 
angels  in  Heaven ;  but  you  will  love  to  re 
member  how  you  did  right,  when  it  came  so 
very  hard." 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  61 


It  had  cost  Hatty  a  great  effort  to  say  all 
this,  and  now  she  burst  into  tears. 

"Girls  are  so  silly!"  said  Marcus,  impa 
tiently.  "  I  wish  you  would  not  set  up  to 
lecture  me,  Miss  ?"  and  the  brother  walked 
angrily  away. 

"  For  shame !  For  shame  !".  shouted  little 
Meg,  who  had  been  an  unnoticed  listener  to 
the  conversation,  and  her  slender  finger  was 
pointed  at  her  brother.  He  took  no  notice 
of  her ;  and  she  turned  to  Hatty,  and  threw 
her  arms  round  her  neck,  and  said :  u  Don't 
cry,  sister.  Meg  will  be  a  good  girl.  I  will 
try  very  hard." 

"  Will  you,  Meg  ?"  said  Hatty,  brightening. 
"  Then  I  shall  be  very  happy." 

Now  Meg  had  only  wanted  to  say  some 
thing  to  comfort  Hatty,  and  had  spoken  the 
first  words  that  came  into  her  mind,  without 
thinking  what  they  meant.  When  she  saw 
Hatty  seem  so  much  pleased,  she  thought  to 
herself:  "  I  do  mean  to  try,  if  Hatty  wants 
it  so  very  much." 

At  that  moment  Harry's  voice  was  heard 
in  loud,  angry  screams.  Hatty  and  Meg  ran 
to  the  spot  from  whence  they  came.  Marcus 
walked  sheepishly  away,  as  they  appeared, 


62  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


ashamed  to  own  that  in  his  ill-humor  he  had 
been  teasing  his  little  brother. 

Harry  was  a  sweet-tempered,  affectionate 
little  fellow,  ready  to  put  up  his  mouth  to 
kiss  anybody  who  smiled  upon  him ;  but 
now  he  had  been  too  far  provoked  to  bear 
all  patiently. 

Marcus  had  run  away  with  his  yellow 
carriage  and  dashed  it  against  a  stone,  until 
all  the  seeds  that  had  been  riding  about  so 
comfortably  were  scattered  far  and  wide  on 
the  grass.  Then,  because  he  looked  dis 
pleased,  and  said,  "  Naughty  boy  !"  Marcus 
had  perched  him  on  the  high  chicken-coop, 
and  left  him  to  scream  for  himself,  or  roll  off 
as  he  best  could. 

Hatty  took  the  little  fellow  in  her  arms 
and  wiped  away  his  tears.  She  promised  to 
hunt  with  him  for  a  "beautiful  squash," 
larger  than  the  one  he  had  lost, — and  he  was 
soon  comforted,  and  began  to  smooth  her 
face  and  say,  "Dear  Hatty — Hatty  so  dood." 

"Yes,  Hatty  is  so  good,"  echoed  Meg. 

"Sister  is  only  trying  to  be  good,"  said 
Hatty,  modestly.  But  the  praise  of  the  little 
ones  went  to  her  heart. 

Marcus  was  sulky  towards  Hatty  all  the 


HATTY  AISD   MARCUS.  63 


noon.  He  did  not  go  out  to  help  her  feed 
the  bantams,  though  she  went  through  the 
room  where  he  was,  with  the  food  in  her 
hand,  to  give  him  a  chance,  if  he  wished,  to 
join  her  pleasantly. 

Hatty  loved  her  brother,  and  since  she  had 
been  making  an  effort  to  govern  her  temper, 
she  had  enjoyed  being  with  him.  He,  too, 
found  in  her  a  very  pleasant  companion.  She 
was  ready  to  listen  to  him  when  he  talked, 
and  let  herself  be  instructed,  though  she 
sometimes  knew  as  much  as  he  did  about  the 
subjects  of  which  he  was  speaking.  Marcus 
did  not  teaze  Hatty  much  of  late,  as  she  had 
learned  to  laugh,  herself,  even  when  he 
warmed  his  hands  by  her  red  hair,  or  asked 
her  if  she  was  so  hot-tempered  that  she  had 
set  her  head  on  fire  in  a  passion. 

Marcus  was  glad  that  day  when  it  came 
time  for  him  to  go  to  school  again,  though  he 
generally  thought  the  intermission  quite  too 
short.  He  missed  Hatty,  and  he  felt  uneasy 
about  what  she  had  said.  An  uncomfortable 
feeling  was  at  his  heart.  He  was  acting  a 
lie !  The  truth  had  been  plainly  told  him, 
and  he  could  not  forget  it. 


VII. 

\ARCUS  was  very  cross  to  Hatty  for 
a  day  or  two  after  their  conversa 
tion  in  the  arbour;  and  whenever 
he  was  in  the  house  he  kept  the 
children  perpetually  uncomfortable 
with  his  teasing. 
Hatty  had  all  this  to  bear  in  silence,  for  she 
would  not  trouble  her  mother  with  com 
plaints  when  she  had  so  much  on  her  mind. 
Saturday  came,  and  Marcus  was  to  be  at 
home  all  day.  Hatty  actually  dreaded  it. 
She  did  not  know  how  she  should  get 
through  so  many  hours,  with  Marcus  about 
the  house,  so  she  resolved  to  go  early  to  the 
arbour,  and  perhaps  he  would  not  follow  her 
there. 

Marcus   lounged   about  by  himself  for  a 
while,  and  at  last,  out  of  loneliness,  he  went 
down  to  the  arbour,  too. 
[64] 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  65 


Hatty  looked  up  pleasantly  as  lie  drew 
near,  and  said :  "  Why  can't  yon  get  a  book, 
Marcus,  and  read  something  to  Meg  and 
me?" 

"  To  Meg  and  you ! "  said  Marcus,  con 
temptuously.  "  A  pretty  business  for  a  boy 
of  twelve ! " 

Hatty  did  not  like  contempt,  and  she  an 
swered,  hastily:  "I  am  only  two  years 
younger  than  you  are,  and  mother  says  I  am 
farther  advanced  in  some  of  my  studies  !  " 

"  Hurrah  for  the  red-head;  touch  her,  and 
she  goes  off  like  a  brimstone  match !  "  said 
Marcus,  triumphantly,  for  he  was  tired  of 
having  all  the  crossness  on  his  own  side. 

"  Hatty's  hair  isn't  red,"  said  Meg,  angrily. 
"  I  heard  a  lady  say,  the  other  day,  it  was 
beautiful  auburn  hair ;  and  she  said  Hatty 
was  sweet-looking  and  good,  and  that  is  more 
than  anybody  will  say  of  you." 

"Bad  boy!  bad  boy!  Go  away!"  said 
Harry,  lifting  his  fat  little  leg  and  trying  to 
kick  Marcus  with  his  wee  foot. 

Hatty  could  not  reprove  the  children,  for 
she  herself  had  set  the  example  of  speaking 
angry  words. 

Heartily  ashamed  of  herself,  she  said :  "I 
6* 


66  HATTY  AND  MARCUS. 


am  very  sorry  I  spoke  so  to  you,  Marcus ;  it 
was  not  right.  I  ought  not  to  mind  being 
put  with  Meg,  for  she  is  a  dear  little  girl, 
and  I  love  her  very  much." 

"And  I  love  Hatty,  and  you  shan't  be 
cross  to  her,"  said  Meg,  putting  her  arms 
round  Hatty. 

"  It  was  Hatty  who  was  cross,"  said  the 
little  girl,  sadly.  u  Poor  Hatty  is 'only  trying 
to  be  good.  She  does  wrong  very,  very 
often." 

"Hatty  dood!  Hatty  dood !"  said  Harry, 
nestling  at  her  side. 

Marcus  walked  away,  without  saying  an 
other  word.  He  took  his  fishing-rod,  and 
Hatty  saw  him  no  more  that  day. 

When  Marcus  came  home  in  the  evening 
he  was  very  tired.  The  family  had  all  done 
supper.  He  took  what  he  wanted,  alone, 
and  then  went  up  to  bed  without  sajdng 
"  good-night"  to  any  body.  When  he  got 
into  his  own  room,  he  saw  on  the  floor  by 
his  bed  a  beautiful  pair  of  slippers,  with  dogs7 
heads  worked  neatly  upon  them.  He  took 
off  his  heavy  shoes.  How  comfortable  the 
slippers  felt  to  his  tired  feet !  Such  an  excel 
lent  fit — so  loose  and  easy !  "  How  kind  in 


HATTY  AND  MARCUS.  67 


mother  to  make  them!"  bethought.  "When 
could  she  have  had  the  time." 

Marcus  was  going  to  rush  to  the  door  of 
Aunt  Barbara's  room  to  thank  his  mother, 
when  be  saw  a  little  note  lying  on  the  table. 
He  broke  it  open  and  read: 

"  Dear  Marcus :  It  has  made  me  very  sad 
all  the  week  to  think  you  were  displeased 
with  me.  I  love  you  very  dearly,  and  can 
not  bear  to  have  you  look  at  me  as  if  you 
did  not  care  for  me.  I  know  I  made  you 
angry  by  speaking  about  the  mark  at  school. 
If  I  had  not  cared  for  you  I  should  not  have 
spoken  as  I  did.  I  hope  you  will  yet  tell 
Mr.  Briggs.  Perhaps  I  am  too  naughty  my 
self  to  give  anybody  advice.  Please  forgive 
me  all  I  have  ever  done  wrong  to  you. — I 
began  to  work  these  slippers  as  soon  as  I  got 
home  from  grandma's,  and  they  were  only 
finished  this  week.  I  hope  they  will  fit  you. — 
Won't  you  be  pleasant  to-morrow  morn 
ing  to  your  sister  Hatty  ?" 

Marcus  read  the  note,  with  the  slippers  on 
his  feet.  He  felt  ashamed  of  his  unkindness 
to  his  little  sister,  and  he  resolved  to  meet 
her  pleasantly  in  the  morning.  Marcus  did 
not  go  to  sleep  until  late  that  night,  but  we 


68  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


will  not  tell  what  was  the  subject  of  his 
thoughts. 

The  next  morning  Marcus7  ill  humor 
seemed  to  have  all  passed  away.  He  made 
no  apology  to  Hatty  for  his  late  rudeness, 
but  she  was  generous  enough  to  forget  the 
past.  She  did  not  now  in  her  turn  sulk  and 
pout,  and  so  keep  up  the  quarrel,  but  she  re 
ceived  him  as  cheerfully  as  if  nothing  had 
happened. 

Marcus  wore  the  new  slippers,  and  declar 
ed  he  had  never  had  a  present  that  suited 
him  better,  and  Hatty  was  repaid  for  all  her 
trouble. 

Hatty  fancied  that  at  church  Marcus  was 
more  attentive  than  usual,  and  once  she 
thought  she  saw  him  wipe  his  eyes,  as  if  he 
were  affected  by  something  the  clergyman 
said ;  but  she  was  soon  afraid  she  had  been 
mistaken,  for  he  began  to  look  about  as 
usual,  and  even  exchanged  a  glance  of  recog 
nition  with  one  of  his  acquaintances  in  the 
gallery. 

Hatty  felt  anxious  for  her  brother,  and  she 
was  particularly  tender  and  kind  in  her  man-  , 
ner  towards  him  all  day,  and  in  the  evening, 
when  she  went  to  bed,  she  prayed  earnestly 


J 
HATTY  AND   MAKCUS.  69 


that  God  would  soften  his  heart,  and  lead 
him  to  do  right.  Hatty  had  not  forgotten 
that  Marcus  had  acted  a  lie,  and  she  remem 
bered  that  our  Heavenly  Father  is  "  a  God 
who  hateth  a  lie." 


VIII. 

\ONDAY  morning  rose  bright  and 
clear.  For  many  days  Aunt  Bar 
bara  had  been  steadily  gaining,  and 
now  she  was  coming  down  stairs, 
for  the  first  time.  Hatty  felt  it  a 
pleasure  to  wait  upon  her  mother, 
while  she  assisted  the  old  lady  to  dress,  and 
even  Marcus  seemed  pleased  to  be  useful. 
He  and  Jane  carried  dowrn  the  old-fashioned 
easy  chair,  which  Aunt  Barbara  particularly 
fancied,  and  then  he  drew  a  small  table  near 
it,  placed  a  footstool  beside  it,  and  stood 
waiting  to  see  if  he  could  be  of  any  further 
assistance.  Mr.  Lee  helped  Aunt  Barbara 
down  very  tenderly,  and  looked  at  her  as  affec 
tionately  as  if  she  were  a  dear  little  child  in 
stead  of  a  poor  invalid,  tottering  with  age  and 
sickness. 

Marcus  expected  to  hear  Aunt  Barbara 
[70] 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  71 


say,  "  This  room  is  too  light  for  anybody," 
or  "  My !  who  could  have  chosen  such  a 
place  for  my  chair?"  but  he  was  mistaken. 

Aunt  Barbara  sunk  down  among  the  pil 
lows  which  Hatty  had  arranged,  quite  ex 
hausted,  and  for  a  while  was  too  weak  to  say 
one  word.  Mrs.  Lee  brought  her  a  glass  of 
wine,  and  a  light  biscuit,  and  when  Aunt 
Barbara  had  taken  them  she  seemed  better. 

Then  she  looked  round  the  cheerful  library, 
and  said,  "  How  pleasant  it  is  here,  and  how 
nicely  you  have  prepared  for  me !  And  you 
helped,  too,  Marcus  ;  that  was  kind  !" 

"I  am  very  glad  you  are  pleased !"  said 
Marcus ;  and  away  he  ran  to  school,  feeling 
more  light-hearted  than  he  had  done  for  many 
days.  Mrs.  Lee  said  she  would  take  care  of 
the  children  in  the  nursery,  as  Jane  must  be 
busy,  and  leave  Hatty  with  Aunt  Barbara. 
Hatty  was  glad  to  be  trusted,  and  she 
brought  her  sewing,  and  took  a  low  seat  near 
the  old  lady. 

Aunt  Barbara  did  not  seem  inclined  to 
talk  at  first,  and  Hatty  kept  very  quiet, 
though  every  now  and  then  she  opened  her 
mouth  as  if  she  were  going  to  speak,  and  then 
shut  it  again  quickly. 


72  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


Hatty  had  learned  that  there  are  often 
times  when  older  people  do  not  care  to  hear 
even  pleasant  young  voices.  She  had  found 
out  that  a  little  happy  child  may  show  a  great 
deal  of  unselfishness  by  keeping  quiet,  when 
she  would  gladly  let  her  tongue  speak  out 
the  joy  that  is  in  her  heart.  Hatty  tried  to 
think  over  all  the  hymns  she  had  ever  learn 
ed,  and  so  be  silent  until  Aunt  Barbara 
should  choose  to  speak. 

Hatty's  lips  were  beginning  to  feel  quite 
stiff  with  their  unusual  effort,  when  Aunt 
Barbara  said,  "Hatty,  my  dear." 

Hatty  looked  up  suddenly,  (Aunt  Barbara 
had  never  called  her  "  my  dear"  before,)  but 
she  only  said  "  What,  ma'am,"  and  then  wait 
ed  to  see  what  would  come  next. 

"  Do  you  love  your  grandma?"  asked 
Aunt  Barbara. 

"  Indeed  I  do !"  said  Hatty,  warmly. 
"  She  is  the  dearest  and  sweetest  old  lady  in 
the  world!" 

11  She  is  older  than  I  am,  I  believe,  and  a 
great  deal  more  wrinkled, — at  least  I  have 
heard  so !"  said  Aunt  Barbara. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  never  thought  about  that ; 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  73 


she  looks  very  sweet  to  me  !"  said  Hatty, 
with  a  puzzled  look. 

11 1  have  had  a  notion,"  said  Aunt  Barbara, 
"  that  children  did  not  like  old  people,  and 
perhaps  I  have  not  tried  to  make  myself 
pleasant  to  them.  Do  you  think  if  I  tried  to 
be  like  your  grandma  you  could  love  me, 
too?"  and  the  old  lady  looked  earnestly  at 
the  little  girl. 

"  0  Aunt  Barbara,  I  love  you  now  !"  said 
Hatty  affectionately  ;  "  and  you  grow  more 
like  grandma  every  day." 

"  Dear  child !"  said  Aunt  Barbara,  and 
she  laid  her  thin  hand  on  the  head  of  the 
little  girl.  After  a  moment's  pause  she  went 
on — "  Hatty,  I  think  I  must  have  been  very 
cross  before  I  was  sick  ;  somehow  everything 
seemed  wrong  to  me.  I  am  sorry  !" 

a  I  and  Marcus  and  Meg  and  all  of  us  are 
sorry  we  were  so  naughty.  It  was  our  fault. 
Aunt  Barbara, — and  we  mean  to  be  better," 
said  Hatty,  eagerly. 

"  Poor  old  Aunt  Barbara  did  wrong,  too, 
child.  God  has  laid  her  on  her  bed  of  sick 
ness  to  think,  and  he  has  raised  her  up  again 
for  some  good  purpose.  Perhaps  he  wanted 
to  give  her  an  opportunity  to  be  more  like 


74  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


what  a  person  ought  to  be,  who  has  had 
more  than  seventy  years  of  blessings,  and 
who  has  the  promise  of  a  home  in  Heaven. 
Aunt  Barbara  means  to  try  not  to  be  fretful, 
and  you  children  must  have  patience  with 
her  if  she  don't  always  speak  just  as  she 
should." 

The  old  lady  was  in  earnest,  and  tears 
rolled  down  her  cheeks. 

Hatty  rose  and  wiped  them  away, — then 
she  kissed  Aunt  Barbara,  tenderly,  and  said, 
"  We  will  never  think  any  harm  of  what 
dear  Aunt  Barbara  says, — for  we  all  love 
you,  and  mean  to  make  you  very  happy." 

Aunt  Barbara  now  asked  Hatty  to  sing 
some  sweet  hymns  ;  and  she  looked  so  quiet 
and  peaceful  as  she  listened,  that  Hatty  could 
not  help  thinking  that  Jesus  must  be  very 
near  to  old  people,  who  are  almost  at  the 
golden  gate  of  Heaven. 

From  that  time  Hatty  was  much  with 
Aunt  Barbara ;  and  it  was  touching  to  sec 
how  hard  the  old  lady  tried  to  be  gentle  and 
pleasant. 

Hatty's  example  had  a  great  influence  on 
the  other  <children.  Meg  learned  to  skip 
more  softly  as  she  passed  Aunt  Barbara's 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  75 


door ;  and  Harry  never  ate  an  orange  with 
out  pattering  along  to  Aunt  Barbara's  room, 
to  give  her  a  taste. 

In  their  hearts  the  children  often  acknowl 
edged  that  it  was  their  own  thoughtlessness 
which  had  brought  about  much  of  the  old 
lady's  harshness ;  and  now  that  they  were 
more  gentle  and  considerate,  they  found  her 
a  dear,  kind  friend,  who  had  pleasant  stories 
to  tell,  of  days  gone  by  ;  and  with  her  Hatty 
had  many  sweet  talks  of  the  loving  Saviour, 
whom  they  were  both  striving  to  serve. 


IX. 

)HEN  Marcus  came  home  from 
school  on  Monday  afternoon, 
Hatty  was  in  the  garden,  pick 
ing  a  bouquet  to  put  in  Aunt 
Barbara's  room.  He  stepped 
quietly  behind  her  and  put  his 
hands  round  her  waist,  before  she  heard  him 
coming. 

She  looked  round,  expecting  to  see  his  face 
full  of  fun  ;  but  it  was  very  sober, — and  he 
said,  quietly, 

"  I  have  lost  the  prize,  Hatty  !" 
"Did  you   miss   a  lesson   to-day!"   said 
Hatty,  eagerly. 

"  I  have  not  made  a  mistake  this  term, 
and  I  don't  mean  to,  if  I  can  help  it,"  said 
Marcus,  rather  proudly. 

"  Not  a  mark  for  misconduct  ?"  said  Hatty, 
anxiously. 

[76] 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  77 


"  A  mark  for  tardiness  stands  against  my 
name.  I  have  told  Mr.  Briggs." 

Hatty  turned  towards  her  brother,  and 
kissed  him  tenderly.  He  did  not  push  her 
away,  but,  putting  his  arm  round  her  waist, 
he  walked  a  few  moments  along  the  path  in 
silence ;  then  he  said,  "  I  have  had  a  talk 
with  Mr.  Briggs,  that  I  hope  I  shall  never 
forget.  I  thank  you,  Hatty,  for  being  a  true 
sister  to  me." 

Here  Marcus  broke  away  from  Hatty,  and 
ran  into  the  house  before  she  could  speak  a 
word  in  reply. 

Hatty  finished  gathering  the  flowers,  but 
her  thoughts  were  not  on  her  bouquet,  but 
on  her  brother.  In  her  heart  she  thanked 
God  for  prompting  him  to  take  this  first 
right  step,  and  earnestly  she  prayed  that  he 
might  go  steadily  forward  in  the  path  that 
leadeth  unto  life. 
7* 


X. 

weeks  flew  by,  and  Aunt  Bar 
bara  was  able  first  to  take  a  short 
drive,  and  then  to  be  in  the  air  hour 
after  hour. 

One  Saturday  Mr.  Lee  pushed 
back  his  chair,  after  dinner,  and 
looking  pleasantly  round  on  his  children, 
said,  "  What  do  you  all  say  to  a  visit  to  Mr. 
Sparrow's  peach  orchard  to-day  ?" 

The  young  faces  flushed  back  a  glad  re 
sponse,  and  every  little  voice  was  raised  in  a 
joyous  welcome  to  the  proposal. 

"  Aunt  Barbara  must  go,  too,"  said  Meg, 
giving  the  old  lady  a  protective  look,  which, 
although  it  was  quite  absurd,  sprang  from 
real  kindness. 

"  Yes,  Aunt  Barbara  must  go,  of  course,'' 
said  Mr.  Lee,  smiling. 

"And   Hatty,    Hatty   so   dood,"   put    in 
(78) 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  79 


Harry,  as  he  laid  his  plump  hand  caress 
ingly  on  Hatty's  white  arm. 

"  Yes,  every  one  must  go,  if  the  carriage 
is  as  full  as  the  shoe  where  the  old  woman 
lived,  with  that  wonderfully  large  family." 

"  I  hope  none  of  us  will  have  to  be 
whipped  and  sent  to  bed,"  said  Meg,  laugh 
ingly. 

"  No,  no.  You  shall  all  have  peaches 
and  bread,  instead,"  said  Mr.  Lee,  with  a 
quizzical  look. 

The  children  all  laughed  so  much  at  what 
they  thought  a  charming  witticism  on  their 
father's  part,  that  they  could  hardly  hear  his 
voice  when  he  spoke  again  to  say  they  must 
be  ready  in  an  hour;  and  then  away  he 
went,  to  give  orders  about  the  carriage. 

At  the  first  mention  of  the  excursion 
Marcus  had  darted  away  to  get  his  fishing- 
tackle  in  order ;  for  he  knew  there  was  a 
famous  trouting  stream  on  Mr.  Sparrow's 
farm,  and  he  meant  to  have  sport,  for  which 
he  cared  more  than  for  bushels  of  peaches. 

The  hour  passed  quickly  away  in  busy 
preparation  for  the  coming  pleasure,  and  all 
were  ready  when  the  great  family  carriage 


80  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


Mr.  Lee  had  borrowed  from  his  brother, 
came  up  to  the  door. 

The  horses  seemed  as  full  of  glee  as  the 
children,  and  Mr.  Lee  could  not  leave  them 
to  attend  to  the  ladies.  Marcus  assisted 
Aunt  Barbara  very  carefully  down  to  the 
gate,  and  handed  her  in  so  dexterously  that 
she  was  able  to  take  her  seat  without  com 
plaining  of  twisting  her  joints  with  the  exer 
tion.  Then  Mrs.  Lee  was  escorted  with 
great  ceremony,  by  Marcus,  and  placed  at 
Aunt  Barbara's  side.  Jane  (with  the  baby 
in  her  arms)  and  Hatty  took  up  the  middle 
seat.  Marcus  was  to  sit  with  his  father, — but 
what  was  to  become  of  Harry  and  Meg. 
The  little  things  looked  disconsolate  as  they 
saw  the  places  filling  up ;  but  Hatty  called 
out,  cheerily,  "  I  will  hold  Meg,"  and  Marcus 
said,  almost  in  the  same  breath,  £:  Harry  must 
sit  on  my  knee,  that  all  the  gentlemen  may 
be  together." 

"  All  de  dentlemen  todedder  !"  said  Harry, 
with  a  pompous  look,  as  he  stood  ready  to 
be  lifted  to  the  place  of  honor  assigned  him. 

"Now  are  all  packed  in  tight?"  said  Mr. 
Lee,  as  he  drew  up  the  reins  in  his  hand. 

"All  right!"  was  the  merry  shout  within, 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  81 


and  away  went  the  horses,  as  if  they  enjoyed 
the  sport. 

The  swift  motion  through  the  cool  air 
made  Hatty  glad  to*  draw  close  round  her  the 
shawl  she  had  thrown  over  her  bare  neck 
and  arms ;  and  Mrs.  Lee  reached  forward  to 
fold  the  baby's  blanket  closely  about  it. 

Hatty  soon  found  Meg  rather  heavy,  and 
she  might  have  made  the  whole  party  un 
comfortable  by  complaining, — but  she  had 
learned  that  one  way  of  doing  right  is,  to 
check  all  complaints  about  trifles,  and  to  be 
as  cheerful  as  possible. 

After  a  while  Meg  slipped  quietly  down 
into  the  bottom  of  the  carriage,  and  said  she 
had  a  charming  seat  there  on  the  baby's 
strong  basket.  She  did  not  say  that  she  saw 
sister  Hatty  was  weary,  and  wished  to  re 
lieve  her.  Little  Meg  was  learning  some 
thing  of  Christian  kindness  ;  so  true  is  it 
that  where  one  child  in,  a  family  is  really 
trying  to  do  right,  all  the  others  soon  catch 
something  of  her  spirit. 

It  was  a  real  treat  to  the  children  to  be 
fairly  outside  the  town,  among  green  fields 
and  pleasant  woods.  Mrs.  Lee  had  to  keep 
her  head  bobbing  this  way  and  that  way,  to 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


see  a  flock  of  turkeys  that  made  Meg  laugh ; 
or  a  wild  flower  that  pleased  Hatty ;  or  a 
"  pretty  moo  cow"  that  Harry  thought  quito 
extraordinary. 

Marcus,  meanwhile,  was  sitting  up  beside 
his  father,  and  trying  to  talk  learnedly  of 
"crops  and  fallow-land,  good  timber,  and 
pretty  fair  orchards."  His  father  listened 
when  he  spoke,  and  quietly  corrected  his 
mistakes,  without  showing  him  the  least  sign 
of  contempt,  or  making  him  feel  his  youth 
unnecessarily. 

Mr.  Lee  saw  that  Marcus  was  bent  upon 
appearing  like  a  man,  and  he  only  tried  to 
make  him  a  sensible,  accurate  little  man,  in 
stead  of  putting  him  down  in  a  way  likely 
to  provoke  him. 

All  Marcus7  mannish  ways  went  off,  sud 
denly,  when  the  carriage  drew  up  at  Mr. 
Sparrow's  door.  He  leaped  from  his  seat, 
and  without  waiting  to  hand  out  the  ladies 
and  children,  he  gave  a  merry  shout,  and 
started  off  for  the  brook  at  a  pace  that  most 
men  find  neither  easy  nor  comfortable. 

Good  farmer  Sparrow  was  away  in  the 
orchard;  but  stout  Mrs.  Sparrow  helped 
Aunt  Barbara  out  as  well  as  if  she  had  been 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


a  man ;  and  by  that  time  Mr.  Lee  had  tied 
the  horses,  and  was  ready  to  lift  clown  the 
children  ;  Meg  came  out  with  a  flying  skip, 
and  Hatty  bounded  down  cheerfully ;  but 
Harry  was  so  sleepy,  that  his  father  had  to 
lift  him  as  if  he  were  a  bag  of  meal. 

The  sight  of  the  peach  orchard  was  enough 
to  fill  the  children  with  astonishment, — the 
rich  fruit  looked  so  beautifully,  hanging  on 
the  bending  boughs.  Aunt  Barbara  was 
placed  on  a  comfortable  chair  by  the  window ; 
Mrs.  Lee  took  the  baby, — and  then  Jane  and 
the  children  went  out  into  the  peach  orchard, 
with  Mrs.  Sparrow. 

The  farmer's  wife  knew  exactly  to  what 
trees  to  take  them  ;  and  she  reached  up  and 
picked  two  of  the  largest  peaches  Hatty  had 
ever  seen,  and  placed  one  in  the  little  girls' 
hands.  Away  went  Hatty  back  to  the 
house  with  her  treasures,  and  when  she  had 
given  them  to  Aunt  Barbara  and  her  mother, 
she  was  ready  for  her  own  pleasure. 

Hatty  was  learning  to  think  of  others  first, 
even  in  trifles. 

Mrs.  Lee  had  told  the  children  just  how 
many  peaches  they  must  eat ;  and  after  they 
had  come  up  to  the  number  she  named,  they 


84  HATTY  AND  H  ARC  LI 


enjoyed  going  about  with  Mrs.  Sparrow,  and 
watching  her  while  she  filled  the  large  basket 
that  had  been  placed  in  the  carriage,  in  front 
of  Mr.  Lee,  for  the  purpose.  Hatty  could  not 
help  thinking,  as  she  looked  at  the  trees  loaded 
with  the  beautiful  fruit,  how  kind  it  was  in 
our  Heavenly  Father  to  make  so  much  that 
is  "  pleasant  to  the  eye  and  good  for  food," 
that  we  may  take  without  breaking  any  of 
his  commandments.  She  pitied  poor  Eve,  if 
the  forbidden  fruit  looked  anything  like 
those  tempting  peaches,  and  was  glad  that 
there  was  no  "  serpent "  at  farmer  Sparrow's 
that  pleasant  day. 

Hatty  forgot  that  there  is  temptation 
every  where,  if  not  quite  in  the  form  that 
was  tried  upon  Eve. 

After  the  children  had  enjoyed  the  orchard 
to  their  hearts'  content,  little  Harry  grew 
tired,  and  Jane  took  him  to  rest.  Mrs.  Spar 
row  and  her  strong  maid  carried  in  the 
heavy  basket  of  peaches,  and  Hatty  and 
Meg  had  permission  to  wander  about  to  look 
at  the  chickens,  the  bee-hives,  or  anything 
else  that  might  interest  them. 

Meg  was  full  of  glee,  and  would  gladly 
have  chased  the  chickens,  handled  the  young 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  85 


ducks,  and  teazed  the  turkey-gobbler  till  he 
was  quite  in  a  passion.  Hatty  checked  her 
as  gently  as  she  could,  and  managed  to  keep 
her  for  some  time  from  doing  any  actual 
mischief. 

Meg  was  charmed  when  she  got  to  the 
bee-hives.  She  had  lately  heard  Marcus 
discoursing,  in  his  most  learned  manner,  as 
to  the  habits  and  peculiarities  of  bees,  and 
she  was  curious  to  see  these  wise  little  insects 
in  their  own  home. 

Hatty  was  glad  to  find  her  at  last  so  ab 
sorbed  as  to  be  willing  to  be  quiet  a  moment, 
and,  a  little  relieved  from  her  anxiety,  she 
turned  away  to  look  at  a  curious  plant  that 
was  growing  in  a  small  swampy  place,  into 
which  the  surplus  water  from  the  large  back 
yard  was  made  to  flow. 

The  plant  was,  indeed,  worth  looking 
at ;  it  was  the  pitcher  plant,  or  side-saddle- 
flower, — every  leaf  of  which  is  so  formed  as 
to  hold  water.  She  walked  round  and  round 
it,  looking  into  each  pitcher-like  leaf,  and 
thinking  of  the  wonderful  variety  which  God 
has  chosen  to  make  even  in  the  forms  of  the 
leaves,  not  to  speak  of  the  many-hued 
flowers. 

8 


HATTY  AND   MAKCUS. 


Turning  accidentally  towards  Meg,  Hatty 
saw  her  slender  brown  arms  pushing  with 
all  their  might  against  one  of  the  hives,  and 
it  was  evident  from  Meg's  determined  air 
that  she  had  made  up  her  mind  to  do  some 
thing — some  mischief,  Hatty  concluded,  of 
course,  and  hurried  to  the  spot. 

She  only  reached  it  in  time  to  see  the  hive 
tumbling  over,  while  a  swarm  of  angry  bees 
came  forth  to  avenge  themselves  for  this 
overthrow  of  their  home. 

The  very  impulsiveness  of  character,  which 
made  Hatty  open  to  temptation  from  a  hasty 
temper,  now  made  her  think  and  act  quickly. 

She  saw  at  once  the  danger  that  Meg  was 
in,  from  the  angry  insects.  It  was  but  the 
work  of  a  second  for  Hatty  to  throw  her  light 
shawl  completely  over  Meg — the  child's  straw 
hat' — holding  it  at  such  a  distance  from  her 
face  and  arms  that  the  stings  of  the  insects 
could  not  reach  her. 

Then,  with  one  hand,  Hatty  held  her  white 
sun-bonnet  close  together  in  front,  while  she 
extended  the  other,  to  lead  Meg. 

Over  Hatty's  bare  neck  and  arms  the  bees 
now  settled,  and  began  to  vent  their  anger  in 
sharp  stings  that  made  her  scream  with  pain. 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  87 


The  cries  of  the  children  quickly  brought 
Mr.  Lee  and  Farmer  Sparrow,  who  had  been 
taking  a  survey  of  the  place,  together. 

Farmer  Sparrow  bade  Mr.  Lee  keep  at  a 
distance,  as  soon  as  he  saw,  from  the  over 
turned  hive,  and  from  the  moving  black  spots 
on  Hatty's  fair  neck  and  arms,  what  was  the 
matter. 

Mr.  Lee  found  it  hard  to  keep  away  from 
his  children  when  they  were  in  such  trouble, 
but  he  knew  it  was  best  to  obey. 

With  a  dexterous  turn  of  the  shawl,  Far 
mer  Sparrow  shut  the  bees  up  in  it,  while  he 
bade  Meg  run  for  her  life.  She  needed  no 
second  command,  and  was  soon  sobbing  in 
her  father's  arms. 

The  few  bees  who  had  escaped  from  the 
shawl  settled  upon  Farmer  Sparrow,  but  he 
minded  them  no  more  than  if  they  were  so 
many  flies,  for  the  sagacious  insects  knew 
him  too  well  to  sting  him.  . 

11  Stand  quite  still,  child!"  said  Farmer 
Sparrow  to  Hatty,  in  a  tone  of  command.  It 
would  have  been  hard  for  Hatty  to  obey, 
covered  as  she  was  with  the  tormenting  bees, 
but  for  the  belief  that  the  prayer  for  help 
that  she  had  sent  up  to  God  in  her  distress 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


was  about  to  be  answered.  One  by  one  Far 
mer  Sparrow  picked  off  the  bees  with  his 
hands,  and  slipped  them  into  the  shawl,  which 
he  held  like  a  bag.  They  seemed  to  own 
him  as  a  master,  and  not  one  offered  him  a 
disrespectful  sting. 

When  Hatty  was  freed  from  her  torment 
ors  she  was  in  a  piteous  plight,  her  neck  and 
arms  being  spotted  over  with  the  painful 
stings.  Hatty  struggled  hard  to  bear  them 
patiently,  and  Farmer  Sparrow  declared  she 
was  a  perfect  soldier. 

Mrs.  Lee  and  Mrs.  Sparrow  were  now  on 
the  spot.  The  latter  hastened  to  bind  indigo 
on  the  wounded  parts,  and  poor  Hatty  soon 
presented  an  odd  appearance,  her  white  face 
peering  out  from  her  blue  wrappings. 

Farmer  Sparrow  excused  himself  from  any 
further  attendance  upon  the  party,  as  he  must 
secure  his  beloved  bees  ere  they  were  lost  to 
him. 

The  sun  was  now  sinking  in  the  west,  and 
Marcus,  laden  with  the  results  of  his  success 
ful  trouting,  came  whistling  up  to  the  farm 
house.  He  heard,  in  silence,  the  story  of 
Hatty's  misfortune;  but  when  his  mother 
came  quite  to  the  end,  Marcus  walked  up 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  89 


to  Ms  sister,  and  kissing  her  fondly,  said: 
"You  are  a  splendid  girl,  Hatty.  You  ought 
to  have  been  a  boy !  "  Then,  turning  to  Meg, 
his  indignation  burst  upon  her,  and  he  could 
not  find  words  strong  enough  to  express  his 
anger  at  her  mischief,  and  his  conviction  of 
the  severity  of  the  punishment  she  deserved. 

Meg  could  only  reply  in  sobs; 

"  Poor  Meg  is  punished  sufficiently  by 
seeing  her  sister  suffer.  I  think  she  will  not 
soon  forget  this  lesson ! "  said  Mrs.  Lee, 
kindly. 

"Meg  did  not  know  the  harm  she  was 
doing!  "  added  Hatty,  pleadingly. 

"I  only  wanted  to  look  inside,"  said  poor 
Meg,  in  the  midst  of  her  sobs.  "I  thought  the 
wise  little  bees  knew  too  much  to  hurt  us  !  " 

"I  hope  my  little  Meg  will  remember, 
hereafter,  *  to  touch  not,  taste  not,  handle  not' 
what  is  not  her  own,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  soberly. 

"  Indeed,  I  will  try,"  answered  Meg,  ear 
nestly.  "Do  kiss  me,  Hatty,"  and  the  child 
turned  her  swollen  face  towards  her  generous 
sister. 

Hatty  kissed  her,  and  assured  her  the  pain 
of  the  stings  was  almost  gone,  and  that  she 
should  soon  be  quite  well. 
8* 


90  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


Mr.  Lee  was  now  ready  with  the  horses, 
and  the  little  party  set  out  for  home. 

As  Hatty  rode  along  in  the  carriage,  and 
all  seemed  so  tenderly  interested  for  her,  the 
little  girl  went  back  in  memory  to  the  time 
before  she  started  on  that  all  important  visit 
to  her  grandmother. 

She  recalled  the  frequent  reproofs  she  then 
received  from  her  mother,  the  stern  displeas 
ure  of  her  father,  her  constant  quarrels  with 
Marcus,  her  impatience  with  Meg,  and  the 
saucy  replies  of  the  child.  It  seemed  strange 
to  her  to  remember  that  even  Harry  did  not 
then  like  to  be  with  her,  and  that  she  thought 
it  quite  a  trial  to  be  left  with  Aunt  Barbara 
even  for  a  few  moments.  Were  all  changed, 
or  was  the  change  in  herself?  When  she 
thought  all  around  her  severe,  cross,  or 
quarrelsome,  must  not  the  fault  have  been  in 
a  great  measure  her  own  ? 

Hatty  could  not  bear  to  think  of  her  old 
naughty  self,  and  she  turned  with  pleasure  to 
the  happy  present.  God  had  given  her  the 
wish  to  do  right,  and  granted  his  blessing  on 
her  sincere  efforts.  How  near  and  dear  now 
seemed  that  Heavenly  Father  to  his  little  one ; 
she  realized  that  He  was  at  her  side;  she 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  91 


needed  not  to  wait  until  she  reached  home  to 
thank  Him  for  his  mercies.  Into  her  heart  she 
knew  He  was  then  looking,  and  beholding 
her  gratitude  there. 

Little  Hatty  felt  very  happy  as  she  glanced 
round  on  the  kind  faces,  beaming  lovingly 
on  her.  Surrounded  by  such  affection,  she 
could  bear  almost  anything.  Yes,  Hatty 
Lee,  who  once  so  dreaded  pain,  knew  now 
that  wrong,  angry  feelings,  in  herself,  or  the 
disapproval  of  her  earthly  parents,  or  the 
smile  of  her  mother  withdrawn,  were  far 
greater  trials  than  the  slight  sufferings  her 
body  had  been  called  to  endure. 


XI. 

>  ATTY'S  wounded  neck  and  arms 
healed  rapidly,  but  the  red  spots  re 
mained  for  many  days  to  remind  all 
the  family  of  the  late  accident,  and 
make  them  more  tender  than  usual 
in  their  manner  to  the  courageous 
little  girl. 

Marcus  seemed  to  have  quite  changed  his 
opinion  of  his  sister,  and  felt  called  upon  to 
treat  her  with  marked  respect,  and  to  honor 
her  with  many  long  talks  on  his  favorite  sub 
jects. 

Hatty  heard  his  footstep  in  the  hall,  as  he 
was  returning  from  school  one  afternoon, 
shortly  after  the  accident.  She  knew  that 
on  that  day  was  to  be  awarded  the  prize  for 
which  he  had  so  faithfully  labored,  and 
which  he  had  been  induced  to  forfeit  for  the 
sake  of  truth. 
[92] 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  93 


She  felt  great  sympathy  for  him,  and  was 
planning  in  her  own  mind  how  she  could 
best  cheer  him  under  his  disappointment, 
when  he  threw  open  the  door,  and  with  a 
joyous  bound  sprang  towards  her. 

"  Look,  Hatty  I"  he  said,  as  he  laid  on  her 
lap  the  richly  bound  copy  of  Virgil  which 
he  had  so  desired  for  its  own  sake,  as  well  as 
a  mark  of  his  teacher's  approval. 

"  It  is  mine,  given  in  the  presence  of  the 
school,  by  Mr.  Briggs !"  said  Marcus,  with  a  joy 
ous  smile,  "  And  I  owe  it  all  to  you,  Hatty." 

14 1  am  so  glad  I"  said  Hatty,  with  real 
pleasure.  u  But  you  do  not  owe  it  to  me, 
Marcus." 

"  Yes,  Hatty,"  continued  Marcus, — "  Mr. 
Briggs  knew  all  about  my  being  late,  and  he 
was  waiting  for  me  to  acknowledge  it ;  if  I 
had  not  I  should  have  lost  his  confidence, 
and  the  prize  would  never  have  been  mine, 
he  said :  as  it  was,  no  other  boy  stood  as  high 
as  I  did  !  Isn't  it  splendid  ?" 

"  I  am  very,  very  glad,"  repeated  Hatty. 
"Is  it  not  better  always  to  try  to  do  right, 
Marcus  !"  she  added  softly. 

Marcus  opened  his  mouth  as  if  to  speak 
then  turned  silently  away. 


94  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


That  evening  Mrs.  Lee  sat  in  the  library, 
in  the  twilight,  with  Marcus  and  Hatty.  She 
too  had  heard  about  the  prize,  and  had  re 
joiced  with  her  son,  with  a  silent  prayer  in 
her  heart  that  he  might  see  the  wisdom  of 
the  Better  Path,  and  be  led  always  to  do  right 
by  the  happy  results  which  had  followed  the 
step  that  had  cost  him  such  an  effort. 

After  the  subject  of  the  prize  had  been  dis 
cussed,  a  feeling  of  quietness  stole  over  the 
little  group  ;  perhaps  all  had  their  own  seri 
ous  thoughts  at  that  twilight  hour. 

"  Come,  Hatty,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  pleasantly, 
"  can  you  not  recite  a  hymn  for  us  ?" 

Mrs.  Lee  almost  feared  that  Marcus  would 
walk  away  at  this  proposal,  as  he  had  often 
done  before,  on  similar  occasions ;  but  he  sat 
down  at  his  mother's  side,  and  listened, 
while  Hatty  repeated,  in  a  voice  of  deep  feel 
ing,  the  hymn, — "  Ashamed  of  Jesus." 

"  Mother,"  said  Hatty,  earnestly,  when  she 
had  done  speaking,  "  Do  you  think  anybody 
in  a  Christian  country  was  ever  ashamed  of 
Jesus  ?" 

"  There  are  few  in  a  Christian  country,  my 
dear,  who  would  be  willing  to  be  called  infi 
dels,  or  heathen,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  soberly ; 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  95 


"  and  I  doubt  if  there  are  any  young  people 
who  have  heard  of  Jesus,  who  would  not 
shrink  from  the  thought.  Though  this  is 
quite  true,  there  are  many  who  are  ashamed 
of  Jesus — many  children,  I  fear!" 

"0  Mother!  what  do  you  mean?'7  said 
Hatty,  earnestly. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  "  there  are  many 
who  are  ashamed  to  have  it  known  that  they 
wish  to  serve  him.  They  would  rather  their 
best  actions  should  be  attributed  to  any 
cause,  than  a  desire  to  do  His  will.  They  hide 
their  best  feelings,  and  struggle  to  show  in 
difference  when  holy  things  are  named,  in  a 
way  which  proves  them  at  heart  to  be 
ashamed  of  Jesus.  Alas,  poor  foolish  child 
ren!  what  will  be  their  lot  when  he  is 
ashamed  of  them,  in  the  presence  of  his 
Father  in  Heaven !" 

Marcus  had  laid  his  head  on  his  mother's 
hand,  as  he  sat  beside  her,  and  now  she  felt 
the  hot  tears  trickle  over  it. 

Hatty  was  questioning  in  heart  whether 
she  could  be  so  situated  as  to  be  ashamed  of 
Jesus,  when  Marcus  suddenly  rose,  and  said : 

"  I  am  afraid  I  have  been  ashamed  of 
Jesus !  Let  me  say  now  to  you,  dear  Mother, 


96  HATTY  AND   MARCUS. 


and  to  Hatty,  that  I  do  wish  to  serve  Him, 
and  I  want  you  both  to  help  me. 

"  We  will  together  ask  God  for  his  help, 
which  is  better  than  any  human  arm,  my 
dear  son/7  said  Mrs.  Lee,  solemnly. 

The  mother  knelt  down  with  her  children, 
and  earnestly  implored  God's  blessing  on 
their  young  hearts.  Fervently  she  asked  the 
Great  Heavenly  Friend  so  to  guide  and  sus 
tain  them  in  the  upward  path,  that  they 
might  at  last  be  gathered  to  his  Eternal  Home, 
with  all  those  that  love  Him  in  sincerity  and 
truth 

When  they  rose  from  their  knees,  Hatty's 
heart  was  too  full  of  joy  for  words.  She 
walked  to  Marcus'  side,  and  putting  her  arm 
about  him,  kissed  him,  with  a  deep,  trusting 
affection  she  had  never  felt  before. 

Now  came  in  Aunt  Barbara,  leading  little 
Harry,  full  of  glee,  while  Meg  followed,  with 
her  usual  cheerful  skip. 

"Let  us  have  one  more  hymn  before  sup 
per,"  said  Mrs.  Lee,  as  she  gathered  the  little 
group  around  her.  u  We  will  have  'I  want 
to  be  like  Jesus,'  and  only  those  must  sing 
who  really  feel  what  they  say." 

Mrs.  Lee  began  in  her  own  clear,  sweet 

m 


HATTY  AND   MARCUS.  97 


voice.  Hatty  quickly  followed,  and  Marcus 
united  with  her  in  trembling  tones,  with  sober 
earnestness.  Meg,  with  her  childlike  warble, 
and  even  little  Harry,  felt  that  he  wanted  to 
be  like  Jesus,  and  tried  to  lisp  in  "  sweet  ac 
cord  "  his  Saviour's  name,  blending  his  baby 
notes  with  those  that  fell  from  Aunt  Bar 
bara's  faltering  tongue. 

How  welcome  to  the  father's  ear,  as  he 
returned  from  his  daily  toil,  was  that  evening 
hymn ! 

At  the  closing  verse  his  manly  tones  were 
heard  as  a  deep,  full  echo  to  the  rest,  while 
devout  thanksgiving  filled  the  mother's  heart. 

And  Hatty — little  Hatty — she  felt  almost 
too  happy  for  earth ;  and  fully  she  realized 
the  truth,  that  "  Wisdom's  ways  are  pleasant 
ness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace." 


